Make a Snake and Shamrock Pie as a new tradition on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a fruit-filled pie and has no snakes.
In the verdant landscapes of Ireland, myths and legends intertwine with everyday life, shaping traditions and inspiring creativity. One such legend revolves around the absence of snakes in Ireland—a phenomenon that has captured imaginations for centuries.
Spoiler: There are no native snakes in Ireland. The only ones are pets that have been let loose by their owner, mistakenly or intentionally. But that was long after St. Patrick visited the Emerald Isle. The lack of snakes is more likely due to the Ice Age. You can find out more at National Geographic. Nevertheless, the symbolism of snakes in Irish folklore remains potent, representing both evil and rebirth.
Complementing this legend is the ubiquitous shamrock, a trifoliate symbol deeply ingrained in Irish culture. Traditionally associated with St. Patrick, Ireland’s Patron Saint, the shamrock is said to have been used by the saint to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Irish pagans. Today, it is revered as a symbol of luck, unity, and national pride. Find out more at Wikipedia
It’s incredible to me that you live with someone for eight years, and suddenly, when you’re sprinkling green sugar on the pie crust, your child comes in and says, “What IS that?! Is that a SNAKE? I’m afraid of snakes!” Even after telling him that snakes are cool and this was only pie crust, Spane still didn’t come out of the bedroom for a while. I wanted to make it lifelike, but really?
Imagine everyone’s surprise after serving a lovely barbecued corned beef when you present this Snake and Shamrock pie. And don’t forget about that dessert made famous by St. Patrick himself!
This pie serves two purposes: for Pi Day, March 14th, and of course, St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th. I used mincemeat when I made it, but you are welcome to use whatever fruit you wish.
Snake and Shamrock Pie Recipe
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Snake and Shamrock Pie
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 1 double pie crust
- 1 jar Mince Meat Pie filling, or any fruit pie filling
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup Water
- ¼ cup Green sugar crystals
- 4 black sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1 double pie crustPut the first pie crust in the pie pan.
- 1 jar Mince Meat Pie fillingFill the pie with the filling.
- Cut shamrocks out of the second crust and place them on the top of the pie.
- Roll the remaining dough into a very long, thin rope.
- 1 egg, 1/4 cup WaterMix the egg with some water to make an egg wash.
- Use a pastry brush or paintbrush and brush the crust of the pie with the egg wash.
- Take the rope and place it on top of the crust, securing it as you go, leaving a small bit without any of the rope.
- 4 black sesame seedsForm one end of the rope into the head of the snake. Use a toothpick to make eye sockets and place two sesame seeds into each eye socket.
- Form the other end into the tail.
- Use a fork to make the diamond shape on the snake’s skin.
- Using the pastry brush, brush the entire snake and all the shamrocks with the egg wash.
- 1/4 cup Green sugar crystalsSprinkle the green sugar all over the shamrocks and snake.
- Cut some foil the circumference of the pie, and put it over the snake part only.
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C).
- Put the pie in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the shamrocks have started to just brown.
- Remove the foil from the snake and bake for another 5 minutes or until the snake has also browned.
- Remove from the oven. Serve warm with hard sauce.
