There are many versions of this time-honored pie, generally made with eggs or egg yolks, butter, sugar, cornmeal, and a little vinegar, which results in a surprising, yet mild, cheesy flavor. There are also varying explanations regarding the name. My favorite is that the cooks who made it, with simple ingredients that would have been in any well-stocked larder of the time, said it was “jes’ pie.” In other words, it’s nothing fancy, but it’s quick to make and it tastes good.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Basic All-American Pie Dough (page 20) or Cornmeal Pie Dough (page 24) for a 9-inch pie shell
TOPPING
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
FILLING
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the dough and fit it into a 9-inch glass pie pan, then trim and flute the edges (see page 22).
To make the topping, combine the sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using your fingertips, rapidly rub the ingredients together until the butter is evenly blended into the sugar. Set aside.
To make the filling, in a medium bowl combine the eggs, sugar, cornmeal, vinegar, salt, butter, and vanilla and whisk until smooth and blended. Pour into the prepared pie shell.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is softly set but the center is still quite trembly. Carefully remove the pie from the oven—remember, the filling is soft and hot—and sprinkle it with the topping. Don’t worry about getting it perfectly even. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes longer, or until the filling is more firmly set and the topping has melted.
Serve warm or at room temperature.