Mock Apple Pie

You will not believe this until you try it! It looks just like apple pie, it smells just like apple pie, and it even tastes just like apple pie, but it contains no apples! Instead, the "apple" mixture is soda crackers! I was skeptical too, so I just had to try it. The pie contains the usual apple pie flavors of lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar, and the sugar caramelizes the crackers into a mixture that looks just like apple pie filling, if not a tad runnier and softer. Be sure to keep the cracker pieces fairly large, as in the size of apple slices. This recipe came from a mystery novel, entitled "Key Lime Pie Murder".

Mock Apple Pie
1 two layer, 9-inch pie crust
or one 9-inch pieshell plus enough dough for a crumble topping
FILLING
20 salted soda crackers, lightly buttered on one side
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups granulated (white) sugar
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Place pie dough in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. For most pie crusts, I recommend pre-baking it so it does not become soggy. I baked mine at 400◦F for 10 minutes, without weighing it.

Place crackers in a medium saucepan, and break them up into fairly large pieces with a spoon. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, then bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, then simmer for exactly two minutes. Pour into prepared pie shell. Top with another pie crust, cutting in vents to allow steam to escape, or crumble pie dough over top. Bake at 425◦F for about 20 minutes, until top crust is golden. Let cool slightly before serving. 

I don't care for traditional pie pastry, but a I wanted something that would be close, so I used an oil-based pastry recipe that I have used before. It is similar in taste and texture to traditional pie dough, just a little less flaky. It uses less fat, and is a lot easier to mix up. It doesn't have to be rolled, it can just be patted in the pan. I didn't bother with an entire top crust, just sprinkled on some extra pie dough as a crumble, which was nice and less work.

I made this pie ahead, then baked it when I was ready. I pre-baked the crust to avoid sogginess and made the filling, poured the filling in the hot crust, then let it cool before refrigerating it. The topping was crumbles on just before baking several hours later. This recipe worked well made in advance. 
Actually, my mother finished the pie for me, by putting the crumble on and baking it. She also buttered the crackers for me. It seems a bit tedious  but just remember that buttering 20 crackers is much less tedious than washing, peeling, coring, and chopping a bunch of apples. 

Fluke, Joanne. "Mock Apple Pie." Recipe. Key Lime Pie Murder, New York: Kensington, 2007. 112-113.