Joy of Cooking reference

[Saint_Cad]

I remember an older version of “Joy of Cooking” had a generic double-crust fruit pie recipes. X amount of fruit then set amounts of sugar, flour or cornstarch and butter. This recipe is not in the newer editions so does anyone have an old JoC to look up the amounts?

[Lubricious_Integument]

Here’s what my copy reads (it was bought new in 1992) on p. 650:

4 cups fruit
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water or fruit juice
2/3 to 1 cup sugar

Different pie recipes on the following pages use different proportions, so I think this is just a base recipe to tweak as you see fit. Generally they say to dot with 2 Tbsp butter.

[Kyrie_Eleison]

My version has a latest listed copyright of 1997. ISBN 0-684-81870-1.

You will seldom go wrong if you use the following formula:

5 cups sliced fruit or berries.
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch
1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

It doesn’t mention flour, so it’s probably not the one you’re looking for.

[running_coach]

@Lubricious_Integument

Here’s what my copy reads (it was bought new in 1992) on p. 650:

4 cups fruit
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water or fruit juice
2/3 to 1 cup sugar

Different pie recipes on the following pages use different proportions, so I think this is just a base recipe to tweak as you see fit. Generally they say to dot with 2 Tbsp butter.

Mine is from 1975 and has the same thing. However, this is for thickening the fruit mixture, not making the crust. I’ve checked several cookbooks here and none have sugar in the crust.

JoC Basic Pie Crust

2 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt

Combine
2/3 cup chilled shortening or leaf lard
2 Tbs chilled butter

2 Tbs ice water

[ThelmaLou]

I win.
Mine was bought new for me by my first husband in 1964. We both loved to cook and made rafts of pies at Christmas time. The binding is disintegrating and many pages are stained with food.

**BERRY PIE WITH FRESH FRUIT
a 9-inch pie **

Use: **Gooseberry, Currant, Blackberry, Raspberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, Huckleberry, or Loganberry **

Preheat oven to 450.
Line a pie pan with:
Any Pie Crust [gives page number]

Prepare by picking over and hulling:
4 cups fresh berries
At this point we should like to raise the question of thickening for berries. Technically, each batch would require a different amount of thickener, depending on the variety of fruit, degree of ripeness, etc. For practical purposes, an often suggeted formula is 4 tablespoons of flour for 4 cups of fruit. But we much prefer either of the following substitutions, the first dry, the second moist. Either add and mix:
2 2/3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
to:
2/3 to 1 cup sugar
or mix:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
with:
1/4 cup water or fruit juice
until very smooth then blend with:
2/3 to 1 cup sugar

Whether you use tapioca or cornstarch, let the mixture stand for 15 minutes after blending ti gently into the fresh berries and before putting it into the pie shell.
Season the fruit with:
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dot the fruit with:
1 to 2 tablespoons butter

Cover the pie with a top crust or with a lattice [gives page number]. Bake the pie in a 450 oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 and bake about 40 to 45 minutes.

The following is from the 1943 edition, which I bought at a garage sale or something. It is well-used with lots of hand-written notes and other recipe cards tucked in the pages. My regards to this unknown former owner.

BERRY PIE I (Strawberry, Gooseberry, Currant, Blackberry, Raspberry
1 nine inch pie*

Line a pie pan with:
Pie Crust [gives page number]
Prepare by picking over and hulling:
4 cups fresh berries
Combine:
2/3 to 1 cup or more sugar (according to the acidity of the fruit)
4 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sprinkle these ingredients over the berries and stir them gently until they are well blended. Pour them into the pie crust. Dot them with:
1 tablespoon butter
Permit them to stand for 15 minutes. Cover them, if desired, with a top crust or with a Lattice of Pastry [gives page number]. Bake pie in a hot over 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350. Bake the pie until the crust is golden brown (for about 40 minute sin all).

*Three cupfuls of fruit will make a 7 inch pie.

The first edition was in 1931, followed by 1936, 1941, 1942, and this 1943 edition has a lovely preface by Irma S. Rombauer where she thanks the many fans of the cookbook and describes what a pleasure it has been to compile the recipes and be in touch with her readers. It also includes this:

When the revision of this book was begun a year ago we had no intimation that international obligations would lead our land of plenty to ration cards. It now goes to print with a number of emergency chapters added, written to meet the difficulties that beset the present-day cook.