RECIPES FROM 1979
Parsnip Pie
A sweet parsnip and vanilla pie, finished with golden meringue.
VERY 1979
1 HOUR 45 MINS
SERVES 6-8
ABOUT THE RECIPE
In 1979, parsnips made their way to the dessert table. Mashed parsnip, milk, sugar, vanilla and egg yolks form the filling, with pastry underneath and a crown of baked meringue on top. It looks like a familiar, old-fashioned dessert pie, although the main ingredient might suggest otherwise.
The filling and pastry bake together before the meringue is added and the pie returns to the oven. Could something I’d usually serve beside a roast earn a place at the other end of the meal?
THE ORIGINAL RECIPE
THE MODERN CONVERSION
From 1979 to today’s kitchen.
The original recipe, reworked with clearer measurements, modern steps and everything you need to make it now.
Ingredients
Filling
500g parsnips
¾ cup caster sugar
1 cup full-cream milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
2 egg yolks, reserving the whites for the meringue
Meringue
2 egg whites
3 Australian tablespoons caster sugar
Method
1.
Peel and trim the parsnips, removing any woody core, and cut into evenly sized pieces. Place in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until very tender. Drain thoroughly, allow the steam to escape for a few minutes, then mash until smooth. Measure out 1½ cups and allow to cool slightly.
2.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Line a 20 cm pie dish with the pastry, gently pressing it into the base and sides. Trim the edges. Leave the pastry uncooked.
3.
Combine the measured mashed parsnip, sugar, milk, vanilla and egg yolks in a bowl. Mix until evenly combined, then pour into the pastry shell.
4.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the filling is set around the edges with a slight wobble in the centre. If the pastry edges brown too quickly, cover them loosely with foil.
5.
Towards the end of the baking time, beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the meringue sugar, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is thick and glossy and holds firm peaks. The sugar should feel dissolved when a little meringue is rubbed between your fingers.
6.
Remove the pie from the oven and reduce the temperature to 140°C fan-forced. Spoon the meringue onto the hot filling, spreading it right to the pastry edge. Use the back of a spoon to create swirls and peaks.
7.
Return the pie to the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the meringue is set and lightly golden.
8.
Place the pie dish on a wire rack and allow the pie to cool before slicing.
THE TASTE TEST
So, was it worth making again?
The honest verdict after cooking from the 1979 page.
The meringue makes it look like a perfectly respectable dessert, but the filling tastes like boiled parsnip mixed with a ridiculous amount of sugar and then chilled.
There’s no disguising that vegetable flavour, and the combination just didn’t work for me. I think this one can stay in 1979.
SAMANTHA'S NOTES
Measure after cooking
No blind baking
Take your time
The 1½ cups refers to cooked, mashed parsnip. Drain it well and mash it plain, with the milk added later as part of the filling.
The filling goes straight into the raw pastry shell. The pastry and filling bake together before the meringue is added.
With the meringue, add the sugar gradually and beat until dissolved. Spread the topping right to the pastry edge to help it stay attached as it bakes.
KEEP COOKING
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