Grandma's Pie

Plum jam, plum compote, meat with prunes, plum soup - plums were one of the most sought-after fruits in Jewish families. But the sweetest childhood memory is a pie made from plums from the tree that grew next to my grandmother’s house.

You will need:

For filling:

250 g chopped plums

4 tbsp. spoons of sugar

2 tbsp. spoons of water

For the test:

1 yolk

100 g butter

1 cup flour

4 tbsp. spoons of sugar

For the baby:

1 cup flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

70 g butter

¼ cup sugar

half a cup of chopped nuts

Jewish grandmothers baked pies often and for any occasion. Because guests, because it’s a holiday, because school is coming soon or the holidays have started. And just like that - because the grandchildren came and they wanted something sweet. Cakes were also baked - with cream, meringue and intricate decorations, with many layers - but less often, on very special occasions, like a holiday or birthday. And pies with filling - even every day, as long as there are eaters. In the summer there was no shortage of food, because Jewish children often spent their holidays with their grandparents.

The pies were usually filled with fruit. Children climbed the trees growing in the garden and brought “prey” - small buckets with apricots, cherries, mulberries and, of course, plums. And armed with a special stick with an iron funnel at the end, they removed apples and pears that grew high, where it was impossible to climb.

At the beginning of summer there was a season for cherry and mulberry pies, then apricot and pear pies, and closer to autumn - plum pies. They especially loved the latter - because it was already very close to school, and every sign of summer was worth its weight in gold.

Cooking method:

To prepare the crust, beat the butter and sugar together, add the yolk and flour. Place in the pan and bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees. Remove and cool.

Boil the chopped plums with sugar for a few minutes until they become soft, and then cool and place on the crust. Mix the flour, baking powder, butter, nuts and sugar until the result is “crumbs”. Sprinkle these “crumbs” over the plums. Continue baking at 180 degrees for another 30–40 minutes until golden brown.

Anna Markova