At Thanksgiving we have my great grandmother’s carrot pie. They didn’t have pumpkin all the time in Saskatchewan, but they always had carrots. The vinegar keeps the gluten from forming long strands, so you are pretty much guaranteed a tender crust.
Never-fail pie crust
| 5½ c | all-purpose flour |
| 1 lb | lard |
| 2 T | sugar |
| 2 t | baking powder |
| 1 t | salt |
| 1 | egg |
| ¾ c | cold water |
| 1 t | vanilla |
| 1 t | vinegar |
Sift dry ingredients. Cut in lard. Beat together egg, water, vanilla, and vinegar. Incorporate wet to dry until flour is just hydrated. Divide into 5 and wrap in cling film, let sit in fridge overnight.
Carrot pie filling
| 1 c | boiled and mashed carrots |
| 2 | eggs |
| 2/3 c | brown sugar |
| ½ t | cinnamon |
| ½ t | ginger powder |
| 1 c | cereal cream (half and half, 10 per cent bf.) |
If the mashed carrots are a little wet spread them on a tray and dry them in the oven a little bit. Roll 1 ball of dough and line a 9-inch pie pan. Beat together carrots, egg, sugar, and spices. Whisk in cream. Pour filling into the pie crust and bake at 325ºF for about 45 minutes until done.
Makes 1 pie. The other doughballs can be frozen.