Yay! pie success....

...from a different cookbook. After the disappointing result a week ago, I was determined that I could and would make a successful 'chess pie'. In doing so, and researching several of the cookbooks I have on my pantry shelf, I discover the reason it is named that is the earlier versions would have the cook making a woven pastry top that looked like a chess board. Aha!

This recipe, the one that I made today after having to  make a trip to the store for butter since I used all I had in the pie fail recently, came from a big thick paperback: The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. The book is the size, length and width of a Reader's Digest, but is as thick as a dictionary. Honestly. It has 1231 pages. I can imagine it being the only cook book you would ever need as a reference.

Chess Pie
I started with a frozen pastry crust/shell, buying a two pack at the grocery, knowing I wanted to make one to take to a pot-luck dinner, and leave one at home.
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornmeal
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1 Tbs. vanilla
heavy cream, whipped, as topping, if desired

Prick pie crust all over with fork. Bake in preheated oven till barely browned. Mix ingredients together, except cream. Bake at 350 for 45 min. Serve warm or room temp. I did not attempt to 'double' when mixing ingredients, but made it twice to make two pies, and cooked at the same time.
I found it got too brown around edges as a result of cooking before adding filling, so you will want to cover the edges with foil at some point to keep the crust from getting too dark. But it was really good, as well as pretty.

So I am satisfied, and can quit trying, now that I have found a recipe that 'works'.  I knew I remembered seeing recipes that included a spoonful of cornmeal, not sure why, but this was good, and looks like I think a chess pie should. Full disclosure: I used two tablespoons of self-rising cornmeal that would have had a leavening in it - just what I had on hand - I am really bad about tinkering with a recipe, or just adding a 'glug' without actually measuring.