Mammy's Onion Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

My mother often talked about my grandmother's Pennsylvania Dutch onion pie, but she had never made it. I found quite a few recipes, but none of them sounded like what my mother described. Luckily, she mentioned it to a cousin and, as it turns out, she had the recipe. It was not at all what I expected. This is pure onions, with just a little butter for flavor and some flour to absorb the liquid from the onions as they cook. I added thyme for a little herbal flavor, but it was not part of the original recipe. Onion pie can be served as a side dish or as a light main dish with a side salad.

Ingredients

• Pastry dough for one pie crust (see the similar and related recipes)
• 1 pound onions, peeled and sliced into thin rings
• 1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pastry in a 9-inch pie pan. Sprinkle top of pastry with the flour. Separate the sliced onions into rings. Place half in a layer on top of the crust. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, half of the thyme and dot with half of the butter. Repeat with another layer of onions. Bake until the crust is golden and the onions are tender, about 1-1/2 hours, gently stirring the onions after about 45 minutes to mix slightly. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Notes: I always use yellow onions in this recipe, which is probably what my grandmother used since that is the variety they grew in the garden. However, you can use red onions or, if you prefer a slightly sweeter pie, a sweet variety such as vidalia.