Dessert,  Fruit,  Recipes

Melon Pie!?!

 

Melon. Pie. Nom.
Melon. Pie. Nom.

It is melon time in the garden.  Fresh green melons served with a little lime juice, or fresh orange melons served with a little lemon juice, are just heaven.  When you have too many melons, it is time to look for things to do with them.

Last year we froze melon slices in a mild sugar syrup.  This worked well when using the melons in something; the texture was too goopy for eating fresh with any pleasure.

This year I found a recipe in my Baker Creek Heirloom Seed catalog for melon pie.  Melon pie?  I did a little Googling on the subject and found a lot of melon pie, cake and bread recipes.  Who knew?  Well, not me anyway.

This recipe works for any melon, the more fragrant the better.  It was written for Mother Mary’s Pie Melon, an heirloom that we grew this year. It is small and fragrant, and just makes the right amount of melon the recipe.  The version of the recipe in the catalog – which is also in their book The Baker Creek Vegan Cookbook – is vegan. I’ve changed it to vegetarian and you can do what you want with it.  The cookie-like crust paired with the creamy yet firm filling is wonderful.  Top it with a little whipped cream!  They suggest topping with toasted coconut, but I’m not that much of a coconut fan.  However I could really see this topped with merangue, like a lemon merangue pie.  Yep.

Melon Pie
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
A fragrant, yummy pie with a perfumy melon flavor and crisp cookie crust.
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • ½ cup butter or vegan alternative
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar (or white)
  • 1¼ cups unbleached flour (organic if possible)
  • Filling:
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch (organic if possible)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1½ cups cubed melon, liquified in blender (makes 1½ cups)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 Tablespoons butter or vegan alternative
  • 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Prepare crust: beat butter and sugar in mixer until fluffy.
  2. Add flour and mix thoroughly.
  3. Press into bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan.
  4. Bake crust at 375F for 10 - 12 minutes until lightly browned.
  5. Meanwhile, stir sugar and cornstarch together in medium saucepan and set aside.
  6. Blend egg, melon and water together until smooth.
  7. Over medium heat, gradually stir melon mixture into cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and begins to boil, about ten minutes. Don't rush!
  8. Reduce heat and cook 1 minute more.
  9. Remove from heat and stir in 3 T butter and lemon juice.
  10. Pour into pie shell, cool and then refrigerate at least an hour before serving.
  11. Serve with whipped cream... or not.

 

4 Comments

  • Diane

    Hi Caitanya, I’ve only made this recipe with the egg, but I have made other custards successfully with arrowroot powder (instead of cornstarch) as a thickener. I’m sure it would work here as well, and has no aftertaste. Thanks, Diane

  • Che

    Hi. Since this is not a truly vegan recipe, I’m wondering what would make a good substitute for the egg to get the desired consistency. Thank you

  • Diane

    Hi James, yes, lacto-ovo vegetarians- the most common type- do eat eggs and dairy products. I am a vegetarian who eats eggs from our own well-kept hens, and now no dairy. A vegan eats no animal/insect products at all including honey. Thanks for reading!
    Diane

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