Horrible Name, Delicious Pie

Here is a recipe for the classic Southern dessert, the Shoo-Fly Pie. It is a molasses-and-sugar confection with lots of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. There is no fruit in it, and contrary to the name, no winged insects either.

Shoo-fly Pie

1/3 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C all-purpose flour
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1 C molasses
1 C boiling water
1 egg, beaten
1 t. baking soda
1 unbaked 9" deep-dish pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and spices. Cut in the butter until the mixture has the consistency of coarse sand. Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend the molasses with the boiling water. Add the beaten egg, mix well, and add the baking soda. (The mixture will foam up, keep stirring until the foam disperses.)

Pour the molasses mixture into the pie shell. Spoon the flour-sugar mixture evenly over the top of the molasses mixture. Put the pie shell on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 minutes, or until dark brown and medium-set.

Serve warm or chilled. Serves 8.