This is a light, fluffy, pineapple-based pie that doesn’t have much in common with angel food cake except a rejection of egg yolks. (If you want something to do with the leftover yolks, try this Cured Egg Yolks recipe.)

My mom had this card in her recipe box and it’s in her handwriting, but attributed to Aunt Pauline (Fearheiley) with the year 1950. My mom would have been three years old then, so I’m not sure if 1950 is the year when this pie was popular or when Pauline first made it (or possibly both). Pineapple definitely made its way into a ton of desserts in the 1950s.

The original recipe calls for whipped cream, but I left it out of the version in the photo above. The egg whites make it light and fluffy enough that you can leave it out if you want a lighter dessert, or add the whipped cream for a more luxurious experience.

1 c. crushed pineapple
1 c. cold water (or substitute the juice from the pineapple can and halve the sugar below)
1 c. sugar (or 1/2 c. if using pineapple juice instead of water)
1/4 t. salt
2 1/2 T. corn starch
2 egg whites
1 c. whipped cream (optional)
1/2 c. nuts (optional)
Baked pie shell

In a saucepan, combine pineapple, water, sugar, and salt.

Separately, dissolve the corn starch in a little cold water (separate from the 1 c. mixed above) and set aside.

Place the pineapple mixture on stove and when it reaches the boiling point, add the liquid corn starch. Cook thoroughly (until it’s thickened to the consistency of a canned pie filling, or at least not runny). Set aside to cool. Chill the baked pie shell, too, so it’s cold when you’re ready for it.

When the pineapple mix is cool, beat the egg whites until they are stiff and carefully fold into the mix. Put in the chilled baked pie shell. Cover with whipped cream and/or chopped nuts and place in a cool place until ready to serve.