Red Sox Dinner Lineup, Featuring Jacoby Ellsberry Pie

We’re putting together the lineup for a Red Sox dinner—we hope for October—but I don’t want to give them any kenahoras, if you know what I mean. Here’s what we have so far, and I invite your suggestions. (Of interest, in 2007 Jacoby replaced what otherwise would have been dessert: Coco Crisp.)

Starters: Cocktail Francona Bun, Adrian Gorganzalez Cheese, Green Muenster Cheese, Tim Wheatfilled Crackers, and Carl Crawfish Dip.

Main Course: Veal Saltalamacchia, Marcoroni Scutaro, Josh Reddickio Salad with Big Poppy Seed Dressing, Jason Varitexas Toast, Kevin Yuccaless Side Dish with Jed Lowrie’s Seasonings, and Dustin Pedroyams.

Dessert: Jacoby Ellsberry Pie, with (of course) Jonathan Papelbon-Bons closing the dinner.

The Berries

Our bumper crop of frontyard raspberries allowed me to freeze enough for Ellsberry Pie. (I spread the berries out on a cookie tray, froze them, then stored them in baggies.) The concentrated flavor and deep color make the pie as special as its namesake. You can substitute frozen blueberries for some or all of the raspberries, or your choice of mixed berries (such as Trader Joe’s Fancy Berry Medley), since (don’t tell anyone) an ellsberry doesn’t actually exist in nature.

I have included my old standard Orange Juice Pie Crust because it goes so well with fruit.

Jacoby Ellsberry Pie

Orange Juice Pie Crust (see below) or your favorite two-crust recipe

4 cups raspberries (or more, and can be frozen)

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons instant tapioca

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon dairy product (cream, half and half, or milk) for decorating

Sugar for sprinkling

Mix defrosted raspberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon, cinnamon, and salt until berries are covered. Let sit 15 minutes.

Make pie crust. Place bottom crust in the pie plate, then rub with some soft butter to keep the bottom from getting soggy.

Pour filling into pie crust, dot with butter, and add top crust. Trim and crimp. Roll out leftover trimmed dough, cut out lettering with cookie cutters, and decorate by pasting letters on with your dairy product of choice. Brush more dairy on the lettering and the top crust, avoiding crimped edges as they get dark anyway. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Cut slits or poke top with fork to release the steam.

Bake at 425º for 15 minutes, then 375º for about 25 minutes.

Orange Juice Pastry

Two-Crust Pie

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup shortening

¼ cup orange juice (more or less)

Mix flour and salt, cut in shortening until it looks like coarse meal. Stir in enough orange juice with a fork to make a ball of dough. Break in half, and roll out accordingly.

One-Crust Pie

1 ½ cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup shortening

3 tablespoons orange juice (more or less)

(For a baked pie shell, prick the pastry all over with a fork, including sides, to prevent bubbling. Bake at 425º for 12-15 minutes.)