Sweet Treat Friday – I want Some Sawdust Pie!

I could make jokes about the name of the recipe all day, but it’s not as funny as it is perfectly fitting for what I had planned on making it for.
Been on the hunt for a pie that was different lately, and sure enough this one fit in way too well. This week my husband is finishing up the second bench to give to his mother for her birthday in a few weeks. Next he will start on the matching chair to go with my bench in my garden.(If you missed that you can see it here from start to finish)
He’s a contractor and estimator but true to heart a carpenter. He makes so many things for our home as well as other’s and hasn’t had a day off in months, including working weekends away from home. This pie not only fit in with the project(s) he is doing as there’s just saw dust everywhere right now in his work area, the entire name fit perfectly to honor him

This pie is a cross between Pecan and Coconut, thick, sweet and full of a fun story . Sawdust pie, given it’s name most likely from it’s looks . I came across this in a little torn up worn pie book my mother nabbed at a yard sale, and though there isn’t much of anything said near it’s name, it’s from an Amish Community. The Amish are known for pies, as well as their craftsmanship and the simplicity of things. They also give their recipes some pretty interesting names, which makes for a great conversation  at the dinner table. So here it is, a Pie to Honor my Husband and all his hard craftsmen work.
 
Sawdust Pie

Recipe for for a Single Crust Pie of your choice. *a very easy one by Better Homes and Garden is listed below

Ingredients for Pie
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup egg whites (5-7 egg whites) Measure the eggs in a measuring cup. The recipe said 4 egg whites, but that wasn’t enough to make a cup.
*I also added half a cup of chocolate chips, as my husband prefers Pecan pie with the chocolate. This pie was made 3 different ways, and the one with the chocolate chips was his favorite. The other way was with a peanut butter graham cracker mixture I had left over from making the peanut butter bars, which the kids relaly liked. The recipe listed is it’s original.

Directions for Pie
Preheat the oven to 350F

If your making the pie dough, roll it out to 1/8 inch thickness on a floured surface. Fit the dough to the 9 inch pan and trim the edges and crimp the edges. If you are using pre-made pie dough follow the directions on the box and trim it to fit the 9-inch pie pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the coconut, graham cracker crumbs, pecans and sugar. Mix in the egg whites, (do not beat them) Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the pie looks firm around the outside, the middle still make look moist but it will set as it cools. Use foil around the edges of the crust to prevent any burning. Cool on wire rack until the pie is firm which is about 45-50 minutes. Store the leftovers (if there even is any) in a container, the pie will keep but only up to about 3 days.

Single Crust Pie
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
4-5 tablespoons cold water.
Directions
In a med. bowl stir the flour and salt, using a pastry blended cut in the shortening until the pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over part of the mixture and toss it with a fork. Repeat adding 1 tablespoon at a time to the mixture until it’s  moistened. Form it into a ball. You can chill it if you want but you don’t have to before you roll it out.
 On a lightly floured surface use your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Roll the dough from the center to the edges making a 12 circle. Two easy ways to transfer the dough
1- fold it in half (down the center) carefully,  and fold it in half again so you have a triangle,  Transfer it to the pie pan.  Unfold it and press gently to the pan.
 2- fold an edge of the dough over the rolling pin and gently lift as you slide the pie pan underneath. This way your not moving it far, and part of the dough  is still on the table. This is a perfect way if you tend to over stretch or roll your dough, this way there’s less handling.

Enjoy Some Sawdust Pie 🙂