This was my favorite pie recipe as a kid. Grandma told us kids that it was apple and raisin pie, because otherwise we (I) might not have eaten it! Green tomato mince pie is different from most pie recipes because it has a tart tanginess that comes from the unripened tomatoes. This pie is heavily spiced with cinnamon and allspice and is perfect for the holidays!
A few weeks ago, around thanksgiving time, we got our first hard freeze and had to pull all our tomatoes off the vine. Most of them were still very green. You can let your tomatoes sit until they ripen, or you can use them in this delicious pie recipe! This recipe inspires me because it utilizes a food that might otherwise be seen as inedible. There was never a tomato wasted at grandmas house, ripe or not.
Fall apples are also used in this recipe. Most recipes for green tomato mince pie use tart green apples. Grandma grew Jonathan apples and that is what she used. I experimented with both kinds of apples, green apples and a red variety from a local orchard. Honestly, there is enough sugar and spices in the pie that I couldn’t even tell. Use any apples you have on hand and this pie will still amaze.
I hope you all can gather with your families this holiday, share memories, and maybe even eat some pie {wink}! This recipe makes me thankful that my grandma taught us to be frugal, and find a way to use the food that we have. Happy holidays, and thanks for stopping by Alison’s Allspice!
Green Tomato Mince Pie
This green tomato mince pie recipe was my grandmothers. It’s tangy from using unripened tomatoes, saved before the last hard freeze every fall. Make it with your favorite type of apples!
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 mins
- Yield: 2 pies, or 16 servings
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Filling
- 6 cups ground green tomatoes, about 3 lbs tomtoes
- 6 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced, about 3 lbs
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cloves
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 cup raisins
Pie
- 2 Pre-made or homemade pie crusts (Top and bottom)
Instructions
Filling
- Combine tomatoes, apples, vinegars, and spices in a large pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered over low heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Mix in sugar and raisins and simmer for about 30 more minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. The filling should be thick when done, and will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Divide filling into 2 portions, about 3 cups each. Each portion makes 1 – 9 inch pie. Filling not being used should be frozen for later use.
Pie
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Pour 1 portion of filling into a pre-made pie crust and cover with a top crust. Cover the edges of the pie with foil to keep the crust from over cooking. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and Bake 10 more minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Notes
I used a food processor to grind the tomatoes until the consistency of chunky applesauce.
My filling did not turn brown or red’ish, is there a reason for this. Where my tomatoes too green?? It did darnk’n some, but still has a green appearance. Yours is brown in color, however still taste great.
Mine turned brown when I added all the spices. Spices can vary in color too, so that might account for the differences. If you enjoyed the taste, I wouldn’t worry about it!
One more question, can you can this filling and how.
My grandmother always froze her pie filling, so I do not have a canning recipe to work from. I do know that it would require a pressure canner (not cooker), because it doesn’t have high enough acidity.
Other than crushing the green tomatoes, what else do i do. Save the juice peal the tomatoes or what. Many gray areas. This is my first time.
Hi Gene, thanks for your question. I ground the tomatoes in my food processor, and then transfer them to the dutch oven for stewing. I used the whole tomato, no need for skinning or juicing. You could also simply chop the tomatoes if you don’t have a food processor. They will break down while stewing for 2 hours. Let me know how it goes!
Thank you, I am new to this but I have a great land lord that can help. She never the pie before I introduced her to it because of my grand mother’s baking in the 1940’s. Brought back a great deal of memories. Thanks once more, Gene
Truely a family favorite, from the woman who used or reused everything!!
Indeed. Thanks Grandma!