Author Notes
This is a recipe that originally came from Naselle, Washington where my step-dad lived in the 70s. When he and my mom got together, he talked about few foods more often than this pie sold at a small family-run cafe. Turns out the world is small and Washington state is smaller and, ten years into their marriage, my mom ended up working with the niece of the original pie shop owner.
My family put their own twist on this pie (the biggest being the removal of the meringue topping) and a new tradition was born.
The pie crust is a recipe that I keep in the notes on my phone called 'Pie Crust Cheat Sheet' because you never know when you'll need a great pie crust. It is adapted slightly from a very early printing of the Meta Givens cookbook. This recipe is for a double-crust 9-inch pie. You will only need half; I use the leftovers to make cheaters' cinnamon rolls [what's that] or to stick the dough in the freezer for later use. —Hannah Petertil
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Ingredients
- For the pre-baked pie crust:
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2 cups
all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon
salt
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3/4 cup
shortening, cut into small cubes
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1/2 cup
ice water (measure 1/2 cup of water and fill the rest of the measuring cup with ice; refrigerate until needed), or as needed
- For the sour cream-raisin filling:
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5 1/2 tablespoons
cornstarch, sifted
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2 2/3 cups
milk, divided
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2/3 cup
granulated sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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1/2 cup
raisins
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4
eggs, beaten
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1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
3/4 cup
sour cream
Directions
- For the pre-baked pie crust:
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
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Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork, cut the shortening into the flour until it looks like grains of rice.
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While stirring the flour mixture, slowly pour in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just starts to come together. You may not use all of the water. Using your hands, form 2 equal-sized balls of dough, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge to cool for about 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 425° F. Roll out one ball to fit a 9-inch pie pan, transfer it to the pan, and make impressions along the edges with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes then lower the heat to 375° F and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden-brown. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the filling.
- For the sour cream-raisin filling:
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In a large saucepan, mix together the cornstarch and 2/3 cup of milk. Turn on the heat to medium-high and add the remaining milk, sugar, salt, and raisins. Stir consistently until the mixture begins to thicken.
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Scoop 1/2 cup of the mixture out of the saucepan and use it to temper the eggs: While whisking the eggs, slowly pour the mixture in. Add the egg mixture into the pan and cook until it reaches a thick, custard-like consistency, whisking constantly. The end result should be a bit thicker than you might be accustomed to as the addition of the sour cream in the next step will thin the filling.
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Remove from heat and whisk in both vanilla and sour cream. Let stand for 30 minutes to allow it to cool then add it to the pre-baked pie crust. Place in the refrigerator until cooled through, up to 4 hours or preferably overnight, and serve!
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