Plum Pie By the Yard

Every year I look forward to Italian Plums being ready.

My mom by love whips up a batch or two of her Pie by the Yard or Perishky.

Being rather free form, it is the perfect kind of pie for novice pie makers to try since it all tastes good and a bit of juice running out the center just adds to the flavouring of the pastry.

I am happy to retire my worn out recipe card and place her recipe here.

• 5  1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup lard
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs beaten with enough evaporated milk to make 1  1/2 cups total liquid
• 2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup minute tapioca
• buy a bag of plums at your local farmers market. ..fill your pastry ..and eat the rest.  You can also use apples or blueberries, apricots or rhubarb.  If you run out of one kind of fruit, move on to another.

1. Cut the lard and butter into the flour with a pastry blender.
2. Add the salt and the baking powder with a fork.
3. Add the liquid into the flour and stir with a fork until mostly combined.
4. Turn onto a floured counter and bring together with several kneads into a large disc.
5. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.
6. Roll out the dough  as you would pie on a well floured surface. .and make sure you keep the dough from sticking underneath by adding a bit more flour and to the top as well.  ( a pastry mat is a wonderful tool for rolling our pastry)
7. Combine the sugar, flour and tapioca for sprinkling over the plums.
8. Cut long 6 inch wide strips.  Place halved pitted plums down the center and sprinkle with the sugar mixture.
9. Bring the long sides together. .overlapping as best you can.   Bring the ends up and overlap on top.
10. Bake in a 375 F oven until golden brown and the juices clear.