What do you do when you have ginormous zucchinis and your family would rather starve than eat them?
You make pie!!!
I seem to be the only one who likes zucchini in this family, so when I end up with large zucchinis out of my garden I am kind of at a loss. You can only make so many loaves of bread, muffins, cookies, etc. before your family is tired of YOU and your ZUCCHINI! For those of you out there who don't have this problem - lucky you!
So....why not try pie! This pie tastes so much like apple pie your family will think you are lying if you tell them anything different. It is so delicious and a great new twist on (in my opinion) zucchini!
You don't even have to tell them it's zucchini! Although I've told my family and they still loved it. I still can't quite figure out the magical secret - but I think it has to do with the cream of tartar. Maybe?? Somehow the zucchini tastes like apples. Crazy!
A little note - I added how I made my crust for this pie - but feel free to use your own recipe or even buy a store bought crust if you are in a hurry. However the crust in this recipe is delicious if you want to give a try!
I would like to have posted more pictures for this recipe - but the pie was eaten too fast! Maybe I'll add some more later!
Zucchini (Mock Apple) Pie
Cook time: 30 to 35 minutes
Makes: 8 servings
Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
3 Tbsp water
Filling:
4 1/2 -5 cups halved and sliced zucchini (approx. 2 large)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
4 Tbsp flour
Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup firm stick butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the flour and salt in mixing bowl. Using your hands mix in the shortening until it is in uniform crumbles - it should be fairly course. Sprinkle one tablespoon of water at at time, mixing lightly with your hands. When all the water has been added, work dough into a firm ball.
Press the dough into a flat circle with smooth edges on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out until it is about 1/8 inch thick and about 1 1/2 inches larger than your pie plate. Pick dough up and gently ease into pie plate, being careful not to stretch the dough. Trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate, fold under to make double thickness around rim. Flute the edges.
Peel
zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Slice the zucchini halves into thinly sliced
half moons.
Throw zucchini in a pan of boiling water, take off heat, cover with a
lid, and steam for about 6-7 minutes until just barely fork tender. Drain the zucchini and empty onto a paper
towel lined plate, sprinkle with salt.
In another bowl combine the brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, cream of
tartar and flour. Return drained
zucchini back to pan and stir in the sugar mixture. It till be pretty runny.
Pour everything into the 9-inch pie crust. For the French topping, mix flour, brown sugar, and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the zucchini mixture.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. The liquid will still be runny but will thicken as it cools.
