Many of the early American pioneers, who really came from all over the world to live here, were masters of making something delicious out of next to nothing. The humble and unlikely sounding vinegar pie is one of these pies made out of the desperate want of something sweet, even in the dead of winter. This is an easy to make, comforting pie that tastes very similar to a lightly flavored lemon pie. Enjoy!
1crust for a single crust pieyour favorite recipe or store-bought
3-4largeeggsat room temperature (three will give you a softer set)
1cuplight brown sugar*packed
½ teaspoon kosher saltI used Morton's (yes, that much)
6Tablespoonsunsalted butter (3/4 sticks)**melted and cooled slightly
2Tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
Instructions
For the Crust
Line a 9" pie pan (not deep dish) with your pastry. Crimp however you'd like.
Line the crust with parchment or a large coffee filter and then fill it with beans or other weights. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.***
Carefully remove lining and weights and set aside. Brush crust all over with egg wash (1 egg beaten well with a pinch of salt). Prick the bottom crust well with the tip of a sharp knife, and then bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie crust looks dry. If the crust bubbles up at all with air pockets, carefully press them out.**
Remove the crust from the oven and set aside. The crust will be pale. It's okay, it will bake some more once you put the filling in.
For the Filling
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt until well combined and smooth.
Drizzle in the melted butter while whisking constantly.
Whisk in the apple cider vinegar.
Pour into the crust and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pie is 165F. The filling will rise up and be nicely browned on the top. It will sink back to level as it cools.
Remove pie from oven and cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled from the fridge. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
*Most recipes I researched call for white sugar. I think brown sugar is more likely since it was probably less expensive than white sugar. I also think Ma Ingalls could have possibly sweetened her pie with maple syrup. You can do that too, if you want. **A reader made this and had an issue with some of the butter leaking out. If you are concerned about this happening, you may cut back the amount of butter to 4 Tablespoons, or half a stick.***You do not have to blind bake your crust if you don't want to, but it will take a few extra minutes to bake it through. In that case, once the filling is a nice golden brown, loosely tent the pie with foil so it can finish baking.