Dad Blogs!: Grandma Good's Green Tomato Pie

My dad continues his campaign to be a regular Nothing-in-the-House contributor. He's been pestering me to post this, and I think the third time might be a charm...

Green tomato pie out on the porch

With the cool autumn days and even cooler nights in force here in northern Indiana, it became apparent that the dozens of green tomatoes left on the vine weren't going to ripen. While this might cause some folks sadness, I was thrilled because I could use them to make one of my favorite fall foods, green tomato pie.

I learned about this pie a few years ago when one of my employees came in on Monday and related that she had spent the weekend with her grandmother canning and making pies. Being a lover of all pies,  I inquired what kind of pies they made and green tomato was one that she mentioned.

When I told her that I had never even heard of a green tomato pie, she told me it was a traditional Mennonite recipe and she would bring me one the next day. I wasn't sure what to expect but I absolutely loved it!  I asked her for the recipe and now I make it regularly.

Here is her grandmother's recipe.  The woman who worked for me's last name was Good and she called her grandmother Grandma Good so I call this Grandma Good's recipe.

 

Grandma Good's Green Tomato Pie

Ingredients:

Nothing-in-the-House pie crust recipe

2 cups chopped apples

1 1/2 cups chopped green tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon each cloves, nutmeg, allspice

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup cooked raisins

1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice (I used vinegar)

1/4 cup nuts optional

1 cup sugar (1/2 brown 1/2 white) or 1/3 brown, 1/3 white, 1/3 cup molasses

1/4 cup flour

Make crust and refrigerate for at least one hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Meanwhile, prepare the ingredients and combine (I used the 1/3 cup white and brown sugar and molasses combination). Roll out bottom crust and fit in a greased and floured pie pan. Add filling and top with a top crust. Flute edges, brush on an egg wash, and bake for 10 minutes at 425. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 35-40 minutes more until crust is golden brown.

 

I also made a small pie without using any apples, just substituted more green tomatoes for the apples and it was just as good.