There
are never any leftovers of this flavorful pie at Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant and
Bakery Staunton, Va. Customers look forward to it—such a short season—with its
robust spice and vinegar flavors,
perfectly mingled with an underlying sweetness. The flavors unfold with every
bite.
Long-time regular customers know to get to the restaurant early enough
to enjoy a slice. If the green tomato season
slips by, try tomatillos instead. This pie also works as a side dish with pork chops, chicken or veggie burgers.
(If
you’d like another way to use your green tomatoes, check out my other blog for
a sandwich spread recipe.)
Makes
two 10-inch pies.
Makes
12 cups of mincemeat
2
recipes pie crust (You will need a top and bottom crust for both pies.)
Ingredients
3
pounds green tomatoes (or tomatillos)
3 1/2
pounds apples
2
pounds brown sugar
2
pounds seedless raisins
1
tablespoon salt
2 ½
tablespoons cinnamon
2
teaspoons ground allspice
1
tablespoon nutmeg
3
tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/4
cups vinegar
Grind
the tomatoes though a food chopper.
salt and let stand for one hour. Drain
the tomatoes and add water, enough to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for five
minutes. Drain. Pare,
core, and chop the apples until very fine. Add
the tomatoes and other ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Bring
to a boiling point and simmer for one hour. Stir frequently to keep from
burning on bottom of the pan. Cool. This will take about 3 hours at room
temperature. This
will keep in refrigerator or will freeze well.
Preheat
oven to 425°F.
Fill
the unbaked pie shell with mincemeat (approximately 5 cups). Cover with top crust and seal
edges.
Bake
at 425°F for 15 minutes.
Reduce
temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for 35 minutes.
Cool
for 2 hours at room temperature before serving.
