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Perishky (Pie by the yard)



Today for Flashback Friday  I wanted to share my Mom's recipe once more for Perishky. 
I have baked Perishky in our freezer ready to pull up and warm up for a quick dessert.
Simply open the foil a bit and warm in a 350 F oven for 20 - 25  minutes. It will taste as fresh as first baked.

Perishky is traditionally shaped into little square pockets but my grandma always made them into long pies to get the job done quickly.  The result is less crust and more fruit.


Being rather free form, it is the perfect kind of pie for novice pie makers to try since it all tastes good and a bit of juice running out the center just adds to the flavouring of the pastry.
A pastry mat and parchment paper help to make this job easier. 

  • 5  1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup lard
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs beaten with enough evaporated milk to make 1 1/2 cups (use additional milk when mixing in with the flour mixture if it seems a bit dry)
  • 2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup minute tapioca or cornstarch
  • Fruit of your choice.  Our family favorites are Italian Plums, Apples, Rhubarb
  1. Cut the lard and butter into the flour with a pastry blender.
  2. Add the salt and the baking powder with a fork.
  3. Add the liquid into the flour and stir with a fork until mostly combined.
  4. Turn onto a floured counter and bring together with several kneads into a large disc.
  5. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.
  6. Roll out the dough  as you would pie on a pastry mat or well floured surface. .and make sure you keep the dough from sticking underneath by adding a bit more flour and to the top as well. 
  7. Combine the sugar, flour and tapioca for sprinkling over the plums.
  8. Cut long 6 - 8  inch wide strips.  Place halved pitted plums or chopped fruit down the center and sprinkle with the sugar mixture.
  9. Bring the long sides together overlapping or pinching together.   Bring the ends up and overlap on top.
  10. Bake in a 375 F oven until golden brown and the juices clear.

27 comments:

  1. This looks absolutely amazing. What a terrific way to make pie. The possibilities are endless. This is so clever. Thank you.

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  2. Looks delicious! How many plums do you use in the recipe?

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  3. I wanted to tell you that I tried your stuffed cabbage recipe. It was awesome. My family loved it. I have a guestion on can you freeze them? I don't know if you have to cook them first then freeze them or if you just put them together then freeze, Your recipes are great thank you so much for them.

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  4. How fun! These pies look delicious. They remind me of something similar that my mother made when I was a child. She would do the same thing, but instead of filling with plum,apple or other pie filling, she would fill with mashed potatoes. It was a delicious, savory that we would have when guests came to lunch. My sis and I, who were very young, thought they looked like fish, so would say we want fish for dinner! Thanks for the memories.

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  5. Elizabeth. . oh boy ..I should have weighed my plum bag ..I buy a bag that has about 6 cups of plums. I'm so sorry.. .this is one of those things that I'll have to measure more accurately and then I'll record it in the recipe.
    If you don't have enough plums, you can use blueberries, apricots ..or apples.

    Therese, yes ..stuffed cabbage can be frozen, either before or after baking.

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  6. My Husband took one look at these and said "Oh Yeah! - that's how my mom and grandma made them. He is a huge perishke fan and although I've made them occassionaly my perishky skills could use some improving. I like the look of this pastry and will try it for sure. That'll make him happy.

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  7. My mom and I were just talking about these earlier this week, so I immediately called her when I saw your post. We drooled over the photos----just like we remembered them years ago.

    I have been having a very difficult time getting them out of my head! This isn't for the weak of heart who want to lose weight, ya know??

    Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. I'm printing it up along with your fantastic photo at the top!

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  8. I keep having t look at this picture! They look so perfect with the fruit oozing out!

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  9. So, does this lovely recipe make 4 "pies"?

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  10. This also reminds me of my childhood except ours were closed and filled with a raisin mixture.

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  11. I made this recipe this afternoon for our small group gathering. I used black plums. It was outstanding! No one could believe that the pastry was homemade. Thanks for the recipe, and I'm sharing it too.

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  12. annonymous. .I would say it should make about 4 long pies. It will vary on how wide you make them and how long. . .try it and let me know how many you get.
    Laurie. ..I'm so glad you got good reviews at your small group gathering. . we love to know that sort of thing.

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  13. I would like to make this recipe this weekend. Is there a substitute for the lard?

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  14. I think you could substitute shortening in this recipe. .or even part butter and shortening. Try it and let me know how it worked.

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  15. Sorry, I didn't respond quicker, using shortening didn't seem to have any negative results at all. The pie was delicious and such an easy way to roll out the dough. I'm not good with dough, never could make a pie, and this is so easy. I will definitely be making more yard pies.

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  16. What a great idea!!! I love pies and this would be a nice way to have some without having a whole cut piece.

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  17. I'm wondering if this particular pastry is the reason that you say that it can be frozen and reheated to the "fresh as first baked" state. When I use my regular pie pastry (only lard based), I never find the pastry to be quite as good as fresh baked.

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    1. Lorrie, this pastry is richer than regular pie pastry and I think that helps to keep it in the freezer. The key is to wrap them really well and then when reheating, open the foil just a bit to help crisp the pastry. You can also freeze them unbaked which works very well but not as quick when you need a last minute dessert.

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  18. What would the approximate baking time be for apples? plums?

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    1. I would suggest about 25 minutes but it will vary depending on how wide your perishky ends up being. The more fruit you stuff in the perishky the long it will take to bake.

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  19. 'Like flash back Fridays!!!! mom used to make these too. with apples.. oh so good,, not for someone who's watching their weight ---but you know once in awhile -- go for it!!!! :)

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  20. I haven't had these for years! My uncle used to call this "pie by the yard". Thanks for Flashback Fridays. It brings back many memories of fun family times.

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  21. My grandma would make the individual ones and send them with us we drove back home. They were always good.

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  22. Lovella just looking at ur pic's did you roll out your dough onto parchment paper---and then put onto sheet pan to bake,,, ummm

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  23. Oh I am definitely going to try this recipe! Sounds wonderful.

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  24. Dear Lovella, and all the Mennonite Girls - This note comes with a hearty thank you for the fact that you seem to take care to indicate the freezer-friendliness of recipes. I appreciate that very much. Actually, the older I get, I think I appreciate it more and more, because somehow or another some things take me a bit longer, but if I know I can just do it a little earlier and bank it in the freezer, then I am free to make it anyway, though I might hesitate to attempt it "at the last minute". So, as the traveling kings said in Amahl and the Night Visitors - "Thank you, thank you, thank you kindly. Thank you, thank you, thank you kindly too." ~Diane

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  25. I've always wanted to try making this. No more excuses - you make it look so easy Lovella!

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