Shoo Fly Pie is a recipe that orginated in Pennysylvania Dutch Country and can easily by found there. I have hardly ever seen this pie sold anywhere else except at an occassional farmers market. I've heard the pie orginated when someone baked this years ago to attract flies to keep them away from other foods. I have no idea if this is true or not. This is my very favorite pie....and that says a lot since I'm someone that cannot live without chocolate. I had this when I was probably about 7 years old and went on vacation to Pennsylvania Dutch Country and Amish Country. I never forgot how it tasted and how much I loved it. I had it several times growing up but, only when I was in Pennsylvania. Later on, I decided to try and bake it myself and it was fairly simple to find a recipe for it. I just couldn't find one though that was the taste I remembered. Then I found this recipe and it is dead on! It comes from http://www.maplespringsfarm.com/. You can order this pie already made by them or use their recipe and bake your own. They recommend baking your own. It is fairly simple and tastes best when it is freshly baked. They use King syrup instead of molasses. Boy was that a surprise for me. I assumed King syrup was molasses but it is not. Close to it and perhaps sweeter.
1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 heaping tbsp Crisco shortening
1 cup King Syrup
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup boiling water
1 beaten egg
Preheat over to 375 F degrees. Mix flour, brown sugar, shortening into crumbs. Split crumb mixture in half. Set one half aside for crumbs. Pour the King Syrup in the other half of the crumb mixture. Mix the baking soda in the boiling water. When this fizzes, pour on top of the King syrup/crumb mixture. If soda/water doesn't fizz, you didn't get your water hot enough. Dump and try again. Pie won't work if it doesn't fizz. Add 1 beaten egg. Pour in unbaked pie shell. If you don't want to make your own just use one of those pillsbury one. (I used a Pillsbury pie crust). Top with crumbs. Bake in preheated 375 F degree oven 10 minutes. Don't open oven door; turn oven down to 350 F. Bake an additional 30 - 40 minutes.
Mom's Pie Crust (from Maple Springs Farm Book)
1 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup less 1 tbsp Crisco
3 tbsp cold water
Mix dry ingredients. Add Crisco till crumbly. Add water and mix till just moistened. DO NOT OVERMIX. Put between 2 floured sheets of wax paper and roll.
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