A pandowdy is a baked fruit dessert with a broken crust on top. Apple pandowdy, popular in the 19th century, was reportedly a favorite of Abigail Adams.
Somewhere between a cobbler and a pie, pandowdy is distinctive for its top crust, which is broken part way through baking. Think of it as a deep-dish pie that's been mangled with a fork. Pandowdy first appeared in cookbooks in the 1840s, and it's considered a classic American dessert. The name's exact origin is uncertain, but many recipes specify that the baker "dowdy" the crust, or make it appear less neat and tidy.