Nana’s Cassava Pie Recipe

What I enjoy most about the holidays is our cultural traditions. I look forward to the holiday gatherings, Caroling, Gombeys and of course the FOOD! More specifically, traditional Bermudian dishes.

My all time favorite traditional Bermudian dish is Cassava Pie. It’s extra special to me because the recipe I use belonged to my nana who passed away in 2011. Everybody loved her cassava pie and so it was one of the many recipes I was sure to learn. I remember as a child sitting on a stool in the kitchen watching her make pies for the family and then later as the aroma of cassava pie took over the entire house, testing a piece with a nice hot cup of tea. Happier than a kid in a candy shop I was!

Her pies were so delicious, that it was like a protected treasure, when strangers came over for dinner we would all be watching the pie and you could hear my aunts in the kitchen saying “don’t give away all de pie!” lol

My first time making pie myself,  was kind of forced but it was the only way we were going to have pie that year because my nana wasn’t feeling quite up to it, so I stepped up to the plate. There is a certain level of expectation that comes with such a traditional dish, which leads many to feel very intimidated about making their own cassava pie. I knew it would be a hard act to follow, especially since my nana’s pie was pretty much world renowned and always perfect.

My first try at the pie, I went off her instructions (because she didn’t have it written down anywhere) and then basically copied what I had seen her do every year. I am the only family member who actually has my Nana’s original recipe in writing.

I want to assure anyone who really wants to be able to make their own pies that it’s so easy and nothing at all to be intimidated by.  I think the most difficult thing about making cassava pie is squeezing the additional water out of the cassava. Once you get past that step the rest is easy as can be!

I am sharing this very special recipe today in memory of my nana who loved the holidays and fully embraced the spirit of giving and sharing traditions. I hope this recipe will be a favorite in your family too!

Happy Holidays!!

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5.0 from 2 reviews

Nana's Cassava Pie Recipe

Cassava pie is a traditional Bermudian dish. It can be made with or without chicken. It's a sweet and savory dish eaten along side of the main meal.

Author: Miss T

Cuisine: Traditional Bermuda Recipe

Serves: 1 pie

Prep time:  45 mins

Cook time:  3 hours

Total time:  3 hours 45 mins

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Chicken
• 2 stalks celery
• ½ bunch of thyme
• 2 tbsp salt (for chicken only)
• 1 lb of butter
• 2 tbsp crisco
• 1 dozen eggs beaten
• 1 bag of cassava (additional water squeezed out)
• 2½ cups sugar
• 3 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp almond extract

Instructions

1. Part 1- Chicken
2. Boil the chicken in a large pot together with celery, salt, & thyme until cooked thru. Remove from pot & allow to cool, then remove the skin and bones from the chicken and any access fat. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Reserve one cup of the broth from the pot and set aside.
3. Part 2 - Pie base
4. Cream together butter and crisco
5. Add sugar and then eggs and mix together well
6. Add all spices, salt, lemon, vanilla and almond extract mix well
7. Fold cassava into the mixture and mix throughly until all ingredients are combined.
8. In a well greased pan add half of the cassava mixture to the bottom of the pan
9. Then add a layer of chicken (more or less to your liking), before adding the last layer of cassava pour the reserved chicken stock over the layer of chicken evenly.
10. Use the remaining cassava to cover the chicken then smooth the cassava out using a fork or spatula
11. Bake @ 300 degrees for 3 hours. Allow the pie to cool before cutting it.

Notes

For best results grate fresh whole nutmeg for the pie base.

3.5.3229