Plum Pie

Few things about this weekend went according to plan. Brandon and I were supposed to leave Friday morning for Colonial Williamsburg....but then he had to work. So we pushed it to Saturday...and he still had to work. Then we thought we'd do a small day trip on Easter...and he still had work to do. We tried to take a couple hour detour to enjoy the good weather, but in short there was no parking in the arboretum, the tire swing of legend has fallen down, and all the planes were rerouted as to not fly over Gravely Point Park. We failed miserably. Even when I consoled myself that this was all fine and went to the store to buy flowers I'd been wanting for six months every. single. store. was. sold. out. I spent the rest of the weekend defeated, wrapped in big fluffy blankets, watching Despicable Me and wishing I had a freeze ray gun. I'd use that.

Since we had planned to be traveling I didn't worry about things like rolls, ham, potato salad and a tray of vegetables filled with olives for me to eat....or put on my fingers. In the wake of all this failure, with a complete lack of Easter foods I worked with what Brandon had in his kitchen: plums.

I have to say it amazes me how most fruit pies really are the exact same process. I tossed the recipe and followed my Grandma's process for making apple pie. No real measurements, no real plan, but with how this weekend went, planning probably wasn't a good idea anyway.

But you're not me. You probably executed a lovely Easter meal, had a lovely trip, enjoyed the park and planning seems to be working out beautifully for you. Congratulations. Happy Easter. For you I have put together what is my best guess for what to do for this recipe. I'm sure it will work out splendidly for you. If it did for me, it can for anyone.

Plum Pie

2 pie crusts, ready made or from your favorite recipe
3 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
3 tsp. Chinese five spice powder (cassia cinnamon, star anise, anise seed, ginger and cloves)

1/4 tsp. vanilla powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 pounds plums, halved, pitted, each half cut into 4 wedges

Preheat to 375°F. 

Transfer one pie crust to 9-inch glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Sprinkle one tablespoon of corn starch on the bottom of the crust. Refrigerate crust while preparing filling.

Mix sugar, Chinese five spice powder, and vanilla powder together in a bowl. Add plums and toss to coat. Spoon half the filling into crust and sprinkle with second tablespoon of cornstarch. Fill with remaining fruit, mounding slightly in center.

Drape top crust over filling; trim overhang to 1 inch. Press top and bottom crust edges together. Fold edges under; crimp edges with a fork. Cut  slits in center of top crust to allow steam to escape.

Position rack in center of oven; Place foil-lined baking sheet in bottom of oven to catch any spills.

Bake pie 30 minutes. Tent pie loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake until filling bubbles thickly through slits, about 1 hour longer. Cool completely on rack.