PERSIMMON PIE

Yield: One 9-inch pie

Comment: This recipe is from the Southern Pies by Nancie McDermott and it given on Stirrin’ It Up with Chef John Folse when Nancie was the guest.  She has given her permission for us to share it with you.

Ingredients:
Pastry for a 9-inche single crust pie (store-bought can be used)
1 Cup sugar
2 tab all-purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
¾ Cup evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten well
2 tab butter, melted
1½ Cup persimmon pulp

Method:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with crust and them crimp the edges decoratively. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir with a fork to mix well. In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter and stir with a whisk or a fork to combine smoothly and well. Add the sugar mixture and stir to dissolve it into the custard. Add the persimmon pulp, and stir to combine everything evenly and well. Pour the filing into the piecrust and place it on the middle self of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake until the pie id fairly firm, shiny, and cracking around the edges, 30 – 40 minutes more. 
Place the pie on a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel and let cool for at least 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE:  You can use domesticated persimmons, both Hachiya and Fuyu varieties, for this pie. If the persimmon is firm, core it and then peel off the skin. If it is soft, cut it open, remove the stem portion, and scoop the moist pulp right off the skin from the inside. Either way, discard any seeds. Puree the pulp in a food processor or a blender and you’re ready to go with your pie.