The Epicure's Almanac or Diary of Good Living
June 10th : FRUIT PIE FOR THE DELICATE, OR L’AMI DES ENFANS
Children and invalids are often forbidden the use of pastry, the crust being considered as indigestible; in such cases I recommend the following substitute, which entirely does away with the objection :-
Divide, into two slices each, as many sponge cakes as will be required for the size of your dish; put a layer of these, with the brown side downwards, at the bottom of the pie dish, then fill with currants and raspberries, plums, damsons, green gages, or whatever fruit the season affords; sprinkle well with fine Lisbon sugar, and pour in water nearly to the brim ; place a portion of the cut cakes upon the fruit as an upper crust, and let the dish be put in the oven for forty minutes.
Slices of toasted bread are equally applicable as sponge cakes; but the latter is the more elegant method of avoiding the forbidden pie-crust.