Parish Patch Sawdust Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare and refrigerate the pie dough. Roll the dough into a 12½- to 13-inch circle and line a 9- to 9½-inch deep-dish pie pan with it, shaping the edge into an upstanding ridge. Flute or crimp the edge, then refrigerate the shell until needed.
• Whisk the egg whites, sugars, and vanilla in a bowl until evenly mixed. Add the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, pecans, and salt. Stir briefly, then add the butter and stir just until the filling is evenly mixed. Don't overmix.
• Turn the filling into the pie shell and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon. Bake on the center oven rack for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is crusty and has risen, rotating the pie midway through the baking. It's fine if the pie develops cracks here and there.
• Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnishing slices lavishly with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce, if desired. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.
• Recipe for Success:
• Chop the nuts by hand, not in the food processor, for the best texture. (The food processor can make them too fine if you're not careful.)
• Don't overmix the filling. The more you work it, the stiffer and less spreadable the filling becomes.
• You'll have a lot of egg yolks left over with this pie. Consider making crème brûlée or custard with them.

Steps:

• In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
• Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until blended.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat just until incorporated. Do not over mix the dough.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough a few times to bring it together, and then divide the dough in half.
• Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least an hour).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the dough until it is 1/4 inch (1 cm) thick. Using a lightly floured 2 inch (5 cm) round fluted cookie cutter, cut out the cookies, placing them on the prepared sheet.
• Place the baking sheet of cut out cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 -20 minutes to chill the dough.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the egg with the water for the egg wash. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and brush the tops with the egg wash.
• Then, with the tines of a fork (or I like to use the end of a toothpick), make a crisscross pattern on the top of each cookie.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven for about 12-14 minutes (depending on size of cookie) or until golden brown around the edges.
• Cool cookies on wire rack.
• Store in an airtight container for up to a week.