Flapper Pie- The Lost Prairie Pie

By MJH

Flapper pie is a graham crumb crust pie filled with a decadent, creamy custard filling topped with a meringue. It’s so unique to the prairies that if you didn’t grow up here you most likely haven’t ever heard of it. Indeed, perhaps not many Albertans have heard of flapper pie, this is a Manitoba recipe straight from the family archives, one that would have been passed around the farms!
Flapper pie is notorious for being delicious and falling apart easily. It’s very hard to nail it so that it stays together, so be prepared that it won’ t be picture perfect. Using butter in the crust will help solidify it when refrigerated.

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1 1/4 cups graham crackers
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• dash of cinnamon
• Filling:
• 2 1/2 cups of milk
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1/4 cup of cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• Meringue Topping:
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar

Details

Adapted from thekitchenmagpie.com

Preparation

Step 1

Mix all the crust ingredients together, save about 2 tbsp to the side and press the rest into a 10 inch pie plate, in the bottom and up the sides. Refrigerate.

Combine the filling ingredients together and cook on a medium heat until it boils and thickens, making sure to stir constantly! Set aside to cool while you make the meringue.

Beat the meringue ingredients together until they form stiff peaks.

Pour the filling into the crust and top with the meringue, making beautiful little spikes that will brown up all lovely on top! Sprinkle the rest of the crumbs on the top and slide into a 350 degree oven.

Bake until the meringue browns like below, around 10 minutes but watch it carefully! All ovens are different!

Cool in the fridge and eat the same day. This isn’t a pie that is going to last a few days, meringue topped pies get slimy between the layers. This is best made mere hours before serving.