Recipe: Brown Sugar Pie (from Southern Pies)

BROWN SUGAR PIE

"Simple, sweet, rich goodness here. This pie calls for butter creamed with brown sugar, almost like the first stage of mixing up a butter cake. A little stirring and you'll have a grand treat. Look for organic or fair-trade brown sugar, which is typically made in a more traditional way and brings an intense, robust flavor to this old-school pie. It's available in specialty supermarkets, and by mail order."

Pastry for a 9-inch single-crust pie (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed dark or light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with crust, then crimp the edges decoratively.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter with a whisk or a big wooden spoon, until it is soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat well, to combine the ingredients evenly and smoothly. Add the eggs, 1 by 1, stirring well each time. Add the vanilla, stir to mix everything once more, and pour it into the piecrust.

Place the pie on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake until the edges puff up and the center is fairly firm, wiggling only a little when you gently nudge the pan, 25 to 35 minutes more.

Place the pie on a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel and let cool to room temperature.

Makes one 9-inch pie
Source: Southern Pies by Nancie McDermott (Chronicle)