Pinto Bean Pie
As y’all know, I love old southern recipes. I grew up on them and still can’t get enough of them today. This is an old Appalachian recipe that I came across in an old recipe box I found at a flea market a few years ago. Some of you may cringe at the fact that this is a pie made with pinto beans. But you have to remember that back in those days you didn’t let anything go to waste. So if you had a cup or so of beans left you made something out of them instead of throwing them out.
My mamaw used to tell us that when she grew up in a cabin in the eastern mountains of Kentucky, that if they didn’t grow it or make it, then they didn’t have it. She told stories of making dresses out of flour sacks, collecting eggs enough to trade with a neighbor who may have some extra lard or flour that she needed. You didn’t have a store up the road to go to. Even if you did, they didn’t have the money to buy these things.
So I am sure that is how this pie came to be. And let me tell you. It tastes very good. Almost a cross between a Chess Pie and a Pecan Pie. Of course nothing can ever compare to moms pecan pies. I added in the coconut to change it up a bit. Obviously there were no coconuts in the Appalachian Mountains back when this recipe came to be. So give it a try and let me know what y’all think. I believe you are going to be pleasantly surprised.
Pinto Bean Pie
- 3/4 cup cooked pinto beans
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut (may addition to the recipe)
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 9 inch unbaked pie shell
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, stir together beans, sugar, beaten eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract and salt, then fold in chopped pecans and coconut.
- Once mixture is fully combined, pour into the uncooked pie shell.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until center of pie is just set, but still slightly jiggly.
- Remove from oven and let cool 30 minutes before serving so it will set up well.
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