This recipe tastes just like apple pie and, if you don't tell, they won't know the difference. We found it best to use the overly large zucchini from your garden or grocery store because they are the same size and shape as apple slices. This recipe is from my Grandmother Beulah Menne.
Beulah's Zucchini Crumb Pie
Amanda Hartman
Crust:
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tb chilled butter, small pieces
5 Tb chilled shortening, small pieces
2 Tb ice water
Filling:
3 3/4 lb large zucchini (3-4) peeled, cored; thick slices - they look just like apple slices
1 Tb lemon juice
2 1/2 Tb butter
2 Tb apple cider (or apple butter)
1 1/2 Tb cornstarch
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tb butter, small pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Crust:
1) Mix in food processor flour and salt. Add butter until it looks like course meal. Drizzle ice water until it clumps up. It will be light and soft but will not fall apart when squeezed together. Try not to add too much water or it will stick real bad. Form in disc shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in fridge.
Preheat oven to 350 deg.
2) Roll out crust and place into buttered 10 inch pie pan. Freeze for 15 minutes.
3) Line with foil and add pie weights (beans or rice will do). You may want to spray nonstick spray on foil touching crust to avoid tearing crust when removing foil. Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
Filling:
1) Toss zucchini and lemon. Melt butter in large skillet on med-high temperature. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Add zucchini and saute about 5 minutes.
2) Whisk apple cider with cornstarch in bowl (if using apple butter you can use water or apple juice). Add to zucchini. Boil, stirring constantly. Transfer zucchini to large bowl. Add applesauce. Cool completely.
Topping:
1) Using fingertips, rub all ingredients in bowl until moist clumps form.
Preheat oven to 350 deg
Place filling in the crust. Sprinkle topping over zucchini. Bake until topping golden about 40 minutes.
Serves 8
