Pie 101

DEAR SOS: Your assistance in obtaining the recipe for buttermilk pie from the Los Angeles Unified School District would be greatly appreciated. It was served years ago.

JACQUELYN CATHCART

Los Angeles

DEAR JACQUELYN: You can’t beat these simple, old-time pies for satisfaction. The custard filling may be made without a crust and served as pudding in custard cups.

L.A. City Schools Buttermilk Pie

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon flour

4 eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla

1 unbaked (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell

* Stir sugar, salt and flour together in mixing bowl. Add egg yolks, buttermilk, butter and vanilla. Blend well.

* In separate bowl, whip egg whites until moist peaks form, 1 minute.

* Fold beaten egg whites into buttermilk mixture. Do not over-mix.

* Pour 1 quart (4 cups) buttermilk custard mixture into unbaked pie shell. (Any remaining custard filling may be poured into cups and baked at 350 degrees until set, about 25 to 35 minutes.)

* Bake pie at 300 degrees until knife inserted in center comes out clean and top is crusty and golden brown, about 55 minutes to 1 hour.

6 servings. Each serving: 579 calories; 421 mg sodium; 186 mg cholesterol; 37 grams fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 0.10 gram fiber.

End the Filibuster

DEAR READERS: Several of you have had different versions of Senate Bean Soup (Culinary SOS, July 7), so we asked the United States Senate Restaurant for an update. Here is the recipe printed on the menu today.

Senate Bean Soup

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 3 hours

4 quarts water

2 pounds small dry navy beans, rinsed

1/2 pound smoked ham hock

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

Salt, pepper

* Heat water over medium-high heat and add beans. Add ham hock and simmer over low heat about 3 hours, covered.

* In separate skillet, saute onion in butter over medium heat until light brown, about 10 minutes. Add to bean soup. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

8 servings. Each serving: 438 calories; 295 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 71 grams carbohydrates; 29 grams protein; 6.38 gramS fiber.