Crab Pie and Best Friends

Photo from my friend Brian at Hot Sauce Daily

Here's another one of the recipes from my book, "Mama's Cookbook". As I wrote the other day, Mama loved seafood, but didn't have it very often growing up because of the cost. Unless you lived on the coast and caught your own, seafood was impractical and definitely a luxury item that struggling families could not afford. Mama made friends with a new girl in school. She was Catholic and Mama didn't know about their rites and rituals. The first Friday that she spent the night at her friend's house, they had shrimp for supper. She was in love with seafood! She loved her new best friend, and Fridays were a treasured meal with her!  I was named after her best friend, Lynda! So, the few recipes of Mama's that include seafood, I certainly do treasure! I hope you enjoy this one! Notice the note at the bottom. If you are not familiar with my cookbook, Mama jotted notes down for me on recipes before giving them to me. They are a treasure trove of memories!

Crab Pie

1 Pie Pastry, uncooked

1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated

1 cup Crab Meat

3 Eggs, beaten

1 cup Heavy Cream

½ t salt

¼ t Pepper

½ t Lemon Zest*

Arrange cheese evenly over bottom of pastry. Top with crab meat. Combine eggs, cream, salt, lemon peel and pour evenly over crab meat. Bake at 325 for about 40 minutes.

Notes: “Your Daddy likes this…Cool or the cheese will burn you!”

*When I make it now, I add some Old Bay Seasoning, green onion and a mixture of cheeses that I have on hand. I use Swiss and Cheddar or Colby Jack. It just depends on my mood.