January 1, 2001
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup boiling water
1 unbaked 8-inch pastry shell (I usually use the size I have so if you only have a 9" pie plate don't worry about it)
Mix together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix together baking soda and molasses and immediately stir in boiling water. Stir in 1 1/3 cups of the crumb mixture. Turn into pastry shell. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup crumb mixture over top., Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until crust is lightly browned. Perfect with whipped cream for dessert or cold in the morning for breakfast. This pie can be made ahead a day or two as well as long as you wrap it in plastic wrap after it has cooled. It does not need refrigeration.
