Southern Chess Pie

Chess pie is the thrifty classic of the Southern pantry, sweetened custard set with just cornmeal and a spoonful of vinegar to keep it from being one-note. The cornmeal is what gives the top its faint crackle and the filling its slight grain.

Ingredients

• 1 single 9-inch pie crust, unbaked
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fine yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges. Chill it while you mix the filling.
2. Whisk the sugar, cornmeal, flour, and salt together in a large bowl until evenly combined.
3. Add the eggs and whisk until the mixture is smooth and slightly pale.
4. Whisk in the melted butter, milk, vinegar, and vanilla until fully blended.
5. Pour the filling into the chilled crust.
6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden and the center barely jiggles when you nudge the pan.
7. If the crust edges brown too fast, tent them with strips of foil for the last 15 minutes.
8. Cool the pie completely on a rack, at least 2 hours, so the filling sets before slicing.

Tips

• The center should still have a slight wobble when you take it out. It firms up as it cools, and an over-baked chess pie turns dry.
• A little wobble of vinegar is traditional and keeps the sweetness in check. You will not taste it in the finished pie.