A BermuDiana Grows in Providence: Christmas

Hello, and Merry Christmas, from Bermuda!

This was a nice break from the snow/ice in Providence!

I'm at home for the holiday, and yesterday was a momentous day; my dad taught my sister, her boyfriend, and me how to make his world famous cassava pie. What a great reason to experiment with Android's Blogger app (verdict: dissatisfied. Pictures added using my mom's painfully old/slow desktop), and what a fabulous opportunity to share a Bermudian, family recipe with all of you!

In the past, my dad has supplied cassava pies for all of the major hotels and grocery stores in Bermuda throughout the Christmas season. These pies have also been enjoyed throughout North America, the Caribbean and the UK. Over the last few years, though, his declining health has taken a toll on his holiday pie operations. He has had to cut production to just a few pies for close friends and family.

Recipe Disclaimer: Dad is used to a large scale operation, so this recipe will leave you with lots of pie! The recipe, as listed below, will make at least one large tray, 3 loaf pans and 8 muffins of golden cassava pie. Also, one secret ingredient has been omitted for the family's sake.

Cassava Pie

Ingredients:

2 pounds Butter
15 pounds Grated cassava (soaked, rinsed and strained)
2 and 1/2 tbsp Ground nutmeg
22 Eggs
6 cups Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 shot Vanilla extract
0.75 pound Boiled chicken (cut into cubes)
Retain chicken stock
0.75 pound Boiled pork (cut into cubes)
Retain pork stock
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°. Melt butter in a medium saucepan on the stove over low heat.

Sprinkle the ground nutmeg over your strained cassava and mix well (by hand).

Use a painter's bag to strain the soaked and rinsed cassava.

With a standing or hand mixer, beat the eggs at low speed. Continue to beat the mixture, adding sugar gradually. Add salt and vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds.

My dad's old Oster mixer is a beaut!

Add the egg mixture to the cassava and nutmeg, mix thoroughly by hand.

Coat your cooking pans liberally with cooking spray. Pour some of the cassava mixture into your prepared tins, filling halfway. Add a single, even layer of chicken and pork over the cassava, top with a ladleful of the water used for boiling the meat (skip this step entirely for vegetarian pies). Top each tin with the remaining cassava mixture.

Bake until golden brown. Baking time will vary depending on the size of your cooking trays. Our smaller pies were ready in about 1.5 hours, the large pie took 2.5 hours.

Serving Suggestion: Cassava pie should be enjoyed all day on Christmas. Serve it for breakfast with eggs and ham. Serve it at lunch/dinner with turkey, gravy, potatoes, mac & cheese and whatever other fixin's your family enjoys. Tuck yourself into bed with a small piece of pie and some eggnog (with Black Seal rum). Worry about your cholesterol levels in the new year!

I feel so fortunate to have been able to end a day of pie making with a stroll along Horseshoe Bay with some of my oldest friends. Travel anxiety be damned, Christmas in Bermuda and time spent with family/friends is always good for my soul.

Horseshoe Bay

Do you have any holiday foods and/or traditions that help to make this season special (and less stressful)? Please share in the comments below.

Peace and love to you and yours!

*PointsPlus values were not calculated for this recipe (because I'm in Bermuda and it's the holiday season). I know that the butter/sugar/egg combo is PPV-lethal in this recipe. Eat in moderation. You've been warned.