LOOKING THROUGH an older version of Joy of cooking, I found a recipe for “Jefferson Davis Pie”. Why they should name a pie after this guy that spent a lot of time in a dungeon in Fort Monroe after he was captured in the Civil War is beyond me. I must admit that I have seen paintings of him in some southern homes. And he wasn’t that good looking. Saying that the south is still consumed by that conflict is not an exaggeration.

But that recipe’s contents looked familiar to me.

When we were first living in the south, I saw a menu with “Chess Pie” on it. A few weeks before, I had come across an English 1500’s version of this in an article. So I ordered it. This clear, yellow slice with a crust arrived.

The waitress looked at me as though I resembled road kill when I remarked that it wasn’t what I had expected.

Anyway, whether Jefferson Davis Pie, or original Chess Pie consider the following:
Chess Pie (English version)
Found in recipe box of Hazel,
my mother, and marked
“favorite”
Beat 2 eggs until thick and
lemon colored
Combine
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Add to eggs, continue to beat
Add
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
Fold in
1/2 cup seedless golden
raisins
1 cup pitted dates, cut up
1 cup broken black walnuts
Fill favorite unbaked crust,
bake 350 degrees 50-60 minutes.

Many kitchen supply catalogues now contain recipes that can be used for a new pan shape that they feature, (and we shouldn’t do without!...most of the time, the temptation doesn’t work for me…I say with reservations)

In the King Arthur Flour catalogue I found another recipe for an Apple tart. This one is made like a pineapple upside down cake. I know that a lot of us make a deep dish apple pie like this and perhaps without the fuss, but it contains some processes and ingredients that can be applied as we wish. It did not include the recipe for the crust. So use your own.
Tarte Tatin
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1-2 tablespoons water
Pinch salt
3 1/2 pounds (about 9) firm
baking apples such as Granny
Smith or golden delicious,
peeled, cored, and sliced-thick slices work better in this dish-8- 12 per apple

2 tablespoons (1/1/2 ounces) boiled cider, or frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

For filling: but the butter, sugar, corn syrup, 1 tablespoon of water and pinch of salt in the bottom of a burner-safe, oven safe 11 inch round pan. A cast iron skillet or “or our stovetop safe ceramic pan (shown in catalogue)” work well.

Over medium heat, melt the butter and dissolve the sugar, stirring gently, if the sugar won’t dissolve, add the second tablespoon of water.

When the butter and sugar have completely combined (wait for the thin rim of butterfat around the edge of the pan to disappear). Stop stirring and allow the mixture to bubble. When it begins to darken, turn off the heat immediately, prepare the apples and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. The sugar butter mixture will continue to darken from residual heat.

While the oven is heating, arrange the apple slices in 2 layers in concentric circles in the pan. Bake the apples and caramel for 35 to 45 minutes, until the apples are fork tender. Take the pan out of the oven. For the crispest crust allow it to cool to room temperature or even refrigerate overnight (this waiting period I had not read of before. Of course, they are talking of the ‘crust’ on top of the apples when the tart is inverted after the cooking. I like the idea of having it almost complete the day before. pgg)

Prepare dough for 1 crust pie shell, or use puff pastry as crust, pgg.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle apples with the boiled cider or apple juice concentrate. (I presume that this is to re-moisten apples) Roll your dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12” circle. Place the dough over the apples, tucking the edges inside the pan. Prick the pastry all over with a fork.

To bake: bake the tarte tatin for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove it from the oven, cool for 5-10 minutes. Then turn a spatula around the edge of the pan and invert it onto a serving plate. If any apples stick to the pan, gently dislodge them and replace them on the tart. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield 10-12 servings.

Note: when we use different size or shape pans, they will require more or less apples. The boiled cider that is referred to in the catalogue is also sold by them…I’m sure you can reduce cider to that consistency by boiling it yourself, or use the frozen apple juice concentrate. My experience with “upside-down” things is that it is always better to turn them earlier than later. One of my favorite Julia Child’s shows is when she is making this, and the apples go all over the plate...and she just laughs about it. So, have fun..or just make a good, old fashioned apple pie. Phyl