Passed down from Great Aunt Gertie.
It’s the cornerstone of Thanksgiving dessert.
Punctuated by silky meringue, it electrifies every bite.
Credit:Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
She once made my sister the butterscotch pie filling without the crustpudding styleupon request.
My sister’s appetite for it still stands.
“I [still] remember the smell,” my sister says.
Credit:Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
“Warm and golden.”
Today, the recipe is easy on arthritic hands.
The virtues of cook-and-serve pudding that took domestic kitchens by storm in the 1950s proved useful for arthritic hands.
The topping has always stayed the same.
“The meringue,” my mom said, “was always pillowy and amazing.”
And it still isand will befor as long as I can possibly make it.
Ingredients
Filling:
1/2(15-oz.)
package refrigerated piecrusts
1 1/2cupswhole milk
1(4.9 oz.
Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray.
Fold edges under and crimp as desired.
Line crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake until light golden brown all over, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, remove weights and parchment paper.
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
(If crust puffs up, re-prick it with fork to deflate).
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make pie filling:
Whisk together pudding mix and milk in a medium saucepan until dissolved.
Bring milk mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Immediately remove from heat and strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl.
Add butterscotch chips, salt, and vanilla.
Stir until smooth and combined.
Transfer to refrigerator to chill uncovered until set, about 3 hours.
When ready to serve, make meringue:
Preheat oven to BROIL on Low.
Place sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla in a large heatproof bowl.
Spread meringue onto chilled pie and swirl as desired.
Garnish and serve:
Top with chopped butterscotch chips, if desired, and serve.
