Chef Lidia Bastianich On The Food Of Rural America

Guest

Recipes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup Pennsylvania-Dutch table syrup, such as Golden Barrel (Pennsylvania-Dutch table syrup can be found online for purchase or at a local Amish market. You may substitute dark corn syrup.)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 3/4 cup shortening

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, shortening, salt and 5 tablespoons cold water.
• With your hands, cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms crumbles the size of peas.
• Knead just until a dough forms.
• Divide the dough in half.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half to a 10-inch circle and fit into a 9-inch pie plate.
• Crimp the edges.
• Repeat for the remaining dough and pie plate.
• Set aside.
• For the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups hot water and the baking soda.
• Stir the corn syrup into the water mixture until dissolved.
• Add the corn syrup mixture to the brown sugar mixture and stir to combine.
• Set aside.
• For the crumble: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• With your hands, cut the shortening into dry ingredients until crumbles, the size of walnuts, appear.
• Set aside.
• Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shells.
• Generously sprinkle the crumble over the filling.
• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, then serve.

• 1 large hen
• 2 lbs smoked sausage(s)
• 1 large onion
• 1 large bell pepper
• 1 large bunch parsley (reserve handful for finish)
• 1 large bunch green onions (reserve handful for finish)
• 5 cups water starting
• filé to taste

• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 1 cup all purpose flour

• Cut chicken and sausages into small pieces.
• Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
• In a large pot with lid, add chicken, sausages, ½ of chopped vegetables, water, and bring to a steady boil.
• In a heavy skillet, place cooking oil and ap flour to make a roux.
• Starting with a cold skillet, stir constantly until roux mixture reaches a rusty nail color or darker, if desired.
• Turn off heat, add remaining chopped vegetables and continue to stir roux to help cool the mixture.
• After the roux mixture stops cooking, uncover boiling pot, and carefully add roux mixture, one spoon at a time. (mixture will foam up at this point).
• Stir pot after each addition of roux mixture until the pot settles down.
• Continue this addition process until all roux is used. .
• Continue to simmer uncovered gumbo pot for 2 hours (until chicken is tender).
• Add more water to pot if needed.
• Remove gumbo pot from heat and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Check pot for visible grease cap and skim to remove.
• Add reserved greenery and stir.
• Add two (2) teaspoons filé and stir.
• Serve over hot rice.
• Individual addition of filé is made at this point.