As the end of summer nears, we’re preparing for brisk fall weather and cozy days spent baking at home with some of our favorite recipes.
Fort Robinson in Dawes County, Nebraska was famous for acting as the old Calvary headquarters, but was also well-known for making apple pie without apples. The recipe, a nod to the ingenuity of frontier cooks, substitutes the traditional use of apples for saltine crackers, lemon, eggs and cinnamon. This fall, try a twist on a family favorite with this legendary recipe from the frontier days.
What you’ll need:
- 2 unbaked pie crusts
- 20 saltine crackers
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 large eggs
- ½ c. honey
- 1 c. milk
- 1 ¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
- ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Fit one of the pie crusts into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing it over the bottom and up the sides.
Break up the saltine crackers, toss with lemon juice and set them in the pie plate.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon zest. Pour over the crackers, and lay the top crust over the pie. Crimp the edges of the dough to ensure the top and bottom crusts are sealed. Poke a few small holes in the top crust to allow steam to escape during barking.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour, or until the crust is golden brown. Let the pie cool slightly on a wire rack
