POTS AND PANS CITY BLOG

Although you may be familiar with the common southern delicacy of a pecan pie, why not try something a little bit different.  Rum and Walnut Pie blends the buttery, nutty, and a little bit bitter taste of the walnuts with the smooth flavor of rum in this sugary pie.  Try serving it warm with ice cream or cold with a rum flavored whipped cream for that extra bit of extravagance.

Walnuts are the fruit of a large deciduous tree, which belongs to the Juglandaceae family.  There are about 60 different varieties of walnuts but only about 20 are edible.  Walnuts are harvested mainly in the autumn, but can also be picked in their immature green stage in the summer and processed for other purposes.

Although the English walnut is the most typical type of walnut eaten today, the North American Black Walnut is also a good choice for this pie.  Black walnuts, however, are decidedly more difficult to crack.  Most people use a hammer to aid in cracking them, or others believe in spreading the nuts in a single layer on their driveway and driving over them with their car.

Along with other nuts, walnuts are rich in fat.  They contain 64% fat, in fact.  The fat in walnuts however is polyunsaturated, which is said to help lower cholesterol. The fat is probably the reason why they are so tasty.  And when eating walnuts, remember that you don’t typically eat a whole lot of them at one time so you can enjoy them without feeling too guilty. 

The fat in walnuts also makes them susceptible to spoilage and turning rancid.  To help walnuts retain a bit more shelf life, it is best to buy shelled nut halves even though they may be a little more expensive than chopped walnuts.  These tend to stay fresher for longer periods because less of their surface is exposed to the air.  You can also store the walnuts in your freezer in airtight containers to help retain their freshness.

When choosing walnuts at your grocery store, look for firm plump nuts with a slightly oily look to them.  Nuts that look dry or shrunken are probably old and a bit tasteless.  You can also try getting fresh nuts from specialized nut farms that may be in your area. 

Walnuts typically make a great substitute for pecan nuts.  They can be used in a variety of recipes including sweet or savory dishes.  They are great in cakes, pies and breads and are especially tasty served with cheese. 

Rum & Walnut Pie

PASTRY:

• 1 cup flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 ½ TBSP. cold water (approximately)

Add flour, salt, sugar and shortening in food processor.  Process in short bursts until ingredients are combined and has the texture of small peas.  Add cold water a little at a time.  Add only enough water to hold pastry together.  Shape into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for about an hour.  After and hour, unwrap and roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8” thick shaping into a circle as you work.  Gently lay pastry in pie plate.

Preheat oven to 450° F.

FILLING:

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 1 ½ cups walnut pieces
• 2 TBSP. rum

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Stir in corn syrup and add walnuts and rum.  Pour the filling into the pastry shell.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.