APPLE PIE

Tart-sweet and oh, so delicious. This pie came into being when we wanted an Apple Pie that wasn’t just sliced apples or applesauce, but had a more firm texture. Guess I have been making it for over 40 years now and we never tire of it!

INGREDIENTS

Flaky Pie Crust dough for double crust, recipe follows

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup plus more to sprinkle on top

8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into quarters

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg or to taste

2 Tablespoons butter in bits

½ a lemon, optional

Aluminum foil

INSTRUCTIONS

Line a 9-inch pie pan with half the pie dough, trim at the counter level, roll under and flute, refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350°.

Sprinkle flour evenly over bottom of pie shell. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar evenly over flour. Place apple quarters, cut side down, in a concentric circle around edge of pie shell and fill the center. Add additional apple quarters in a second row on top of first circle and center using all of the quarters. Cover evenly with ¾ cup remaining sugar. Dust with cinnamon or nutmeg. Distribute butter bits evenly over top. Squeeze lemon juice over all.

Roll remaining half of pie dough into a 10-inch circle. With a cookie cutter of your choice, cut as many shapes as possible. (I usually use one that is scalloped, but sometimes diamonds or hearts as the mood strikes). Cover the top in an attractive design, overlapping but leaving some small open spaces for steam to escape. Fold a sheet of aluminum foil (that will wrap around the pie plate with enough room to pinch together) in quarters to make a strip. Wrap around the pie plate and pinch together to hold well. Brush surface of dough lightly with ice water and sprinkle with sugar as desired. (I use lots because it crunches up – but that is relative). Bake 1 hour or until the crust is browned, the sugar crunchy and the apples tender when poked with a sharp knife. Remove to a wire rack, remove foil and cool. Great served warm but also great chilled.

FLAKY PIE CRUST – double crust pie

Now do not be afraid. Pie crust is really, really simple and all those esoteric things you have heard about it are just NOT true. It is, well, easy as pie! And here is how:

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour. Lightly spoon into a dry measuring cup and level with a straight edge knife. Do not scoop, dip or tap on the counter top.

1 teaspoon table salt

2/3 cup cold shortening

2 Tablespoons cold butter

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

Iced water as needed (2-4 Tablespoons perhaps)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place measured flour in large mixing bowl. Add salt and stir with a fork to combine. (I use the large serving fork from my everyday stainless set). Measure the shortening by packing it into the cup. Remove it in medium-size pieces to the flour bowl. Add butter. “Cut” together with a pastry blender until you have small bits like rice. Sprinkle with vinegar and stir with the fork to combine and moisten the flour mixture. Now, 1 Tablespoon at a time, add the water and stir with the fork to moisten the flour mixture. Add more water as necessary until, as you stir, the mixture begins to come together in a mass. It will be a bit damp, but not sloppy wet. When it has gathered, on a lightly floured pastry cloth, divide it into two discs – one slightly larger than the other.

On a well-floured pastry cloth and using a rolling pin sock, roll the larger disc into about a 10-inch round, taking care to press together any splits that may occur as you roll. Go slowly, nothing is going to happen. Check to make sure there is enough flour on the pastry cloth from time to time so the pastry doesn’t stick. When the dough has been rolled out, roll it around the rolling pin and lift it to the middle of the pie plate, unroll and gently lift it into the pie plate as centered as possible and gently lifting it to cover the sides of the pie plate. Trim to counter length all around. Starting at one point begin to roll it under and lay it on the rim of the pie plate so you have a nice raised edge. Crimp it using the thumb and forefinger of one hand and the forefinger of the other hand to “pleat” the edge. Chill in the refrigerator with the second disc in the center while you prepare the filling.

When the filling is ready, remove the second disc from the refrigerator to a floured pastry cloth. Roll into about a 10-inch circle. Using your chosen cookie cutter cut out as many shapes as possible and continue as above.

NOTE: For a single crust pie simply halve the recipe. Twitter me if you have any problems and I will attempt to solve them. It is easy, honestly! You can use the food processor if you like. The method is just about the same as you are looking for the same results.