Wednesday

Roscommon Patsy

For breakfast this morning I enjoyed a man size portion of Pecan pie served with fresh cream and a smidgen of stewed pear. I accompanied my feast with a cup of green tea infused with mandarin and herb. It keeps me regular. About 9am to usually a quarter past for those who like to be exact. It was moreish, succulent, exquisitely flavoured, and if I am totally honest, my third attempt. Tis the Pecan pie I am talking about here, not the bowel movement. Stay with me people, focus, focus! I used a recipe sent to me by a very nice young lady by the name of Hope. If you are not regular readers of Hope, then why not? Pecans have a unique flavour that blends so well with literally hundreds of dessert recipes. They do not get enough publicity, which in itself is a crime against culinary humanity. I advise you to go to her blog and copy the recipe for yourselves. You will not be disappointed, trust me.

Because I am still full of the milk of human kindness, not to mention Pecan pie, I am going to dish out a recipe of which my own grand mammy handed down when her parents were still picking potatoes back in the republic of Roscommon. If I may digress for a moment, just down the road from Roscommon, not a million miles away from my old hoose, is where another raggedy-arse, snot-nosed street urchin was dragged out of the mud and given a proper job. Aye, that one. Wee Mhàirtin himself. Or, as he was known locally, 'Stumpy'. Not these days though, oh no! These days he is known across Ireland as 'Stumpy Doonican' the favourite crooner of many, many housewives and single ladies over the age of 75.

Today's recipe is dedicated to the little singing fella,  Mhàirtin , for putting up with me borrowing his hedge trimmers and breaking them. I haven't told him as yet, but the dry croak you can probably hear right about now is him reading it for the first time. Hopefully this will sweeten him up a smidge, so what better way than a nice tasty piece of Roscommon Patsy to fill his gob the night. This ones for you pal, especially as I know you are sick and tired of the same oul Belgian waffle that is most definitely past its sell by date.

Roscommon Patsy

1 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 large rosy apples
1 beaten free range egg
2 ounces Irish butter
1/4 cup full fat milk
pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.

For this recipe you must first think of Ireland. No, not the faux green plastic shamrock Ireland you see on the TV during St. Pats from some dismal bar in downtown Boston. That Ireland only exists in the heads of those 5th generation eejits trying to find an identity. The real Ireland. Where the colour green has always been considered unlucky to the Irish. So let's get that straight before we start. No green clothes, right? Okay, let's go. Sift flour, ginger, salt and sugar. Rub in the fat. Add milk and eggs to bake a soft dough. Roll out on a floured board. Cover the base of a greased pie dish with the pastry. Cross yourself several times and then grate the apples onto the pastry. Dot with wee dods of butter. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over top. Bake in a moderate oven for 1/2 hour. Serve hot with homemade custard or fresh cream. For the love of the little Pope fella himself, no synthetic creams, got it?

For those who prefer a softer filling, cook for 45 minutes on a moderate heat until golden brown, follow it down with good fresh hot coffee. Enjoy.

47 comments:

  1. Three attempts...let me guess, it wasn't "done" in the middle the first time? I discovered the hard way that one of my pie plates is slightly deeper than the other, taking an hour to cook through. Unfortunately for me, it took me longer than it should've to find this out as my pecan pie loving in-laws gobbled it down without complaint. It was only when I went to cut myself a sliver of pie...

    So now I have a recipe to try out myself this weekend. I can think Ireland...it's the only DNA Mom will claim is in the family tree. But no green? What am I suppose to do with my green eyes? Or the fact I love the color green? And, I'm guessing, if I look for which County in Ireland the forefathers came from, it'll probably be in the wrong corner of Ireland. Or is that possible? :)

    Off to gather ingredients.

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    Replies
    1. Too many pecans in the first one for it to be right. My fault, I am greedy. The second attempt was too sweet, it disguised the other flavours and again felt my wrath by way of the bin.

      The 3rd attempt I followed your recipe to the letter, practice as I preach, so to speak! Perfection.

      As for the green? As long as you do not dye your hair, add food colouring to a fountain, public water feature or wear a kiss me I'm Irish T shirt, then that is fine.

      As for your forefathers, hmmmm... they got something right... you.

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  2. That looks like a fine recipe and a fine breakfast.

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    Replies
    1. Glad you agree Mr Earl. Keep searching for the 'Frog Island'.

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  3. I can follow those Green Commandments. :)

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  4. Breakfast at 9am? You are fortunate indeed if you sleep later than 7am.

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    Replies
    1. Dear lady, one has never slept past 5am since one was a wean. A daily routine is essential if one is to earn money and secure good health. The breakfast meal around the table is for family time and indeed a priority to maintain.

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  5. Replies
    1. Love has nothing to do with it sir. I merely protect my interest were you are concerned in order to continue receiving the monthly installments from the original loan you took from my associates in 1976, of which you MUST continue to repay on time.

      Current balance outstanding to date: £78,468.67
      Initial loan : £105.09

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    2. I'm trying hard to remember why 15yr old Map needed so much money back then. The cheque is in the post.

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    3. You know I deal in cash only. I'll make it easy for you. Pick a finger.

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    4. I always knew you wanted a piece of me. :¬)

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    5. No... you misunderstood. I said I wanted peace from ye.

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    6. Peas it is then. Petit pois?

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    7. French now is it? And here's me thinking you have only just mastered the Gaelic so well.

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    8. 'tis with the Holy Spirit I must me filled, what with all this 'speaking in tongues'! I'ts not the first time my words have been coloured by the Golden stuff! :¬)

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    9. Aye, I bet your shoes were coloured with the gold of pish too, eh pal?

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    10. That's what I get for standing next to ya in the bog!

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    11. No son, what you would get is 'jealous'. I've left you a shandy in behind the bar at Durty Nelly's. All you have to do to claim it is walk in and shout "I'm here to fight JB and all his pals, bring them on out".

      I'll bring you in some grapes for when you come out of the coma.

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    12. Nelly's is it? Och! A few notes outa my wee gob would stop them all in their tracks and have them buyin' for the night!

      Pint?

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    13. You would have more luck with the notes in your pocket my friend. As for the pint? Yep, but I'm away for a bit, so keep it behind the bar so.

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  6. And yes, Belgian waffle makes me throw me ring up!

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    Replies
    1. Hmmm... so does whisky, more than 2 pints of lager, champagne, cider, fizzy water and of course frozen fish fingers.

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  7. Does Mr Maps have a spare room full of lively looking jumpers and a rocking chair?
    Sx

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  8. Chef, the family of the wifey has a 300 acre pecan farm in south west Georgia, fresh from the limbs these pecans are better than anything from the shoppe. Funny thing is that all the bairns get about 100lbs. a year from the grand pappy and by the time the sack is empty we are a bit sick of said nuts. How about we work a nice deal for a single malt - pecan pipeline from Alba to Florida? I am sure together the Chef and SF can help pull the struggling economies of the globe out of the depths of recession by selling nuts for whisky! All the best mate...

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    1. I am always interested in a business proposal my friend, however the avoidance of tax would be paramount, let us call it the 'Starbucks system' and arrange payment by way of brown envelopes. Expect a stranger to call upon you within the next 24 hours.

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  9. Mr Maps has a room set aside especially for his accomplishments, accolades, awards and trophies since he was 11 years old. Sadly it was broken into last year and the entire contents was stolen. The polis are looking for a Ford van carrying nothing but a rolled up length of carpet.

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  10. First you torment me with smoked haddock...and now it's apples.
    All I can get here are disgusting things from America where someone has spent years of research to produce something that looks like an apple but tastes like the interior of a sofa.

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    Replies
    1. Ahhh Fly, what you cannae do with a few good crunchy apples and a wee fish eh hen? ><((('>

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  11. 2 ounces of Irish Butter? (sigh) Gawd, i miss that man...

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    Replies
    1. Nothing beats a nice big thick dod of soda bread slavered in rich butter!

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  12. What size cup for the brown sugar and should it not be white?

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  13. Tina, or should I just call you Anon? Only, you usually comment in a mask, but your iPhone has let slip your location on this occasion and according to my stats it would appear in the past that you have been rather foolish and rude with your comments. Never wondered why they have yet to appear in print? However, since you have been semi-polite I shall publish your comment and my response.

    A cup normally equates to a tea cup. To the best of my knowledge a tea cup is pretty standard in most countries encapsulated within the civilised world. Unless of course you know different?

    IMO brown sugar is my preference, I find that it caramelises much better than standard white sugar cane. The best thing about recipes is that you can change the ingredients to suit. Hard and fast rules do not apply. Be daring, use white sugar and let me know if you find it to improve the texture and taste. But be polite, I tend to ignore the eejits.

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  14. Synthetic cream(s)??
    GAH!
    I'd rather jam a fork in my eye!

    Oh, and I agree with you about brown sugar.
    The molasses adds such a lovely depth of flavor.

    Have a fantastic weekend!

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    Replies
    1. Synthetic creams are for boils, bee stings and varicose veins. Not for food! As for forks in the eye. I would recommend an eye patch.

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  15. What is imo brown sugar then?

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    Replies
    1. Tina, IMO = In My Opinion. Did you miss much school as a child at all?

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  16. Ah, it's been ages since I last tasted a Pecan Pie, must have been in South Carolina, but can still smell and taste it today ! Didn't know such a thing existed in the far northlands...

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    1. Aye, Owen. Did you know that gold has been rediscovered in the southern uplands? By jiggitty, it's all happening up north eh?

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  17. As one of your most loyal followers, please forgive me. Wasn't trying to steal the cutlery, merely trying to copy your receipt.
    Shall copy it out the old fashioned way with one eye on the door in case you didn't read this in time......

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    1. Eileen, those 2 fellas sitting outside your hoose in the Range Rover with the blacked out windies? They're no mine hen. Mine are busy visiting the Belfast chappie who likes to set up blogs in my name.

      Besides... what price loyalty hen?

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  18. i haven't made a peacan pie in ages, sugar! i am just that lazy, but being supportive of the local economy, and being in the dirty south, and being an across state lines neighbor of sister hope, i just might have to bake one SOON! xooxoxox

    (i seem to have missed a few things during my self imposed blog coma. catch me up with background info sooner or later?)

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  19. Exchange the word lazy for beautiful and you have described yourself perfectly hen. I blame Hope for encouraging me to purchase an abundance of my favourite nuts, and I am loving it.

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  20. tRied it with brown it was pretty good

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    Replies
    1. Good, like I explained, no recipe is hard and fast.

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Thank you, the chef is currently preparing an answer for you in the kitchen. Do help yourself to more bread.