It’s amazing how some of the simplest ingredients can be combined to make a delicious dish. Case in point: Buttermilk Pie.

Buttermilk pie dates back to the early South where cooks on the plantations used their ingenuity to create wonderful dishes out of ingredients that were cheap and plentiful. Buttermilk pie is real Soul Food, pure and simple. It is not elaborate. It is not particularly beautiful. It is not even on the list of top 10 Southern desserts. But it is oh so good!

If rolled pie crusts from the grocery store happen to be in the refrigerator, a delicious buttermilk pie can be assembled in 10-15 minutes hands-on time. Those inclined to make pie crust from scratch (it really is much better) can do it in the food processor very quickly, and, with a Pastry Cloth and rolling pin cover, the rolling of the crust is easy, although it does take a little more hands-on time. Either way, this is a dessert that will be loved by everyone who is lucky enough to eat it.

Use a food processor or blender to mix the ingredients; this makes the preparation go much faster. If those appliances aren’t available, simply whisk together the ingredients by hand, or use a mixer.

Oh, and if a special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration is planned for the third Monday in January, Buttermilk pie is a perfect dessert to accompany all of the other delicious Soul Food dishes on the menu.

Buttermilk Pie

Note: If using a storebought 9" pie crust, there will be filling left over. Pour it into a buttered dish and bake it along with the pie.


3 eggs, separated
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups buttermilk

1 10" unbaked pie shell

Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl. Beat them until stiff but not dry.

Place the egg yolks, sugar, butter, flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth, scraping the sides at least once. Turn the machine on and gradually pour the buttermilk in; scrape the sides and process until smooth. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the egg whites and fold until the mixtures are incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell.

Bake in a preheated 300° oven for 60 minutes or until the pie is set. Serve warm or cold.

Note: it is a good idea to put a pan under the pie in the oven since the filling will puff and may overflow into the oven.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 386 Calories from Fat 155
Percent Total Calories From:
Fat 40% Protein 5% Carb. 55%

Nutrient Amount per
Serving
Total Fat 17 g
Saturated Fat 8 g
Cholesterol 90 mg
Sodium 507 mg
Total Carbohydrate 53 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 5 g

Vitamin A 9% Vitamin C 2% Calcium 0% Iron 4%

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Basic Pie Crust

This crust is quick and easy, since it’s made in the food processor. As long as the butter is chilled and the water is icy, the end result will be a very light and flaky crust.

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Mix the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the cold butter in chunks and pulse with the shortening until it looks like small peas. Add the ice water and process just until it forms a ball.

Roll out to a 10" circle on a floured pastry cloth. Place in a 9" pie plate; trim and flute the edges.

If making a pie to be baked with filling inside, proceed according to recipe instructions; if baking the plain shell, prick with a fork and chill 30 minutes in the fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer. Place in a 425° oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 179 Calories from Fat 111
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 62% Protein 5% Carb. 33%

Nutrient Amount per
Serving
Total Fat 12 g
Saturated Fat 6 g
Cholesterol 23 mg
Sodium 234 mg
Total Carbohydrate 15 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 2 g

Vitamin A 7% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% Iron 1%