Shoofly pie 'n...

Apple pandowdy....

“Shoofly pie ‘n apple pandowdy, makes your eyes bug out ‘n your tummy say howdy.....”

Millyrose’s cousin, Connie, lives in Pennsylvania where shoofly pie seems t’be about as common as.....well, oranges in California.
A couple years ago she was visiting us ‘n somehow the subject of shoofly pie was brought up ‘n I mentioned that I had never in my whole life or otherwise, tasted shoofly pie...not even the southern version...which may or may not be absolutely factual as memories of my way back when days tend t’be on the spotty side....
Anyway, this was a grand year for pomegranates ‘n we had a slew of ‘em....or maybe two slews, I dunno.....so Millyrose boxed up a bunch of ‘em ‘n sent ‘em off to Connie who had just happened t’mention that she loved pomegranates but that they were expensive back home in Penn....
So, t’other day, Mike the Mailman deposited a box at the side door from Connie in Penn...when it was opened, it contained four (4) shoofly pies from Pennsylvania with instructions on how to freeze ‘em ‘n nuke ‘em later....as my Grandmaw Smith would’a said (and often did, come t’thing on it) “That was very thoughty of her.”
So for those of you who don’t have someone ‘thoughty’ living in Pennsylvania, I have included a recipe for.....
Pennsylvania Shoofly Pie
ingredients
Crumb:
2 deep dish pie shells, unbaked
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 pinch of salt
Filling:
2 cups hot water
1 cup mild molasses
1 cup brown sugar
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
1. Combine all crumb ingredients and mix until ataining even consistency.
2. To make the filling take a different bowl, combine the hot water, molasses and brown sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the egg, flour and baking soda.
3. Pour 1/2" filling into a pie shell and cover with crumbs. Continue to alternate between filling and crumbs until pie shell is full.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 45-60 minutes until golden-brown. Insert a toothpick and when it comes out clean, remove from oven.
‘N since the song ain’t complete without.... 
Apple Pandowdy
here’s the recipe for that also.....
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 apples, cored, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons shortening
• 4 to 6 tablespoons milk
PREPARATION:
Arrange sliced apples in a buttered 11x7-inch baking dish. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt; sprinkle over the apples. Combine molasses and hot water; stir to blend. Pour molasses mixture over the apples. Bake apples in preheated 400° oven for about 20 to 30 minutes, until apples are tender.
Meanwhile, make a soft dough. Sift flour with baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles meal. Add milk, mixing with a fork, enough to make a soft dough. Knead lightly for about 10 seconds. Roll dough into a rectangle 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick, to fit over the 11x7-inch pan. Fit the dough over the cooked apple mixture and pierce all over with a fork to let steam escape. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes longer, or until nicely browned. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.