Apple pie
I think my husband's favorite dessert is apple pie. It's also a recipe I remember making a huge mistake with. I share it so that you will not repeat the mistake. After serving the pie at a dinner party Pete and I were discussing the pie. He said that it had excellent flavor but something was wrong with the texture. It was at that moment I realized that I didn't peel the apples. Not peeling apples is okay for a rust tart or galette, but not for a pie. Lesson learned. It takes time but it really is worth it. We like our pies to taste like apples so they are not very sweet. Adjust the sugar to your liking.
| Recipe serves | Active time | Total time |
|---|---|---|
| Special equipment needed |
|---|
| 8 or 9-inch pie plate |
| Rolling pin |
| Ingredients |
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| 1 recipe Pie crust, cold |
| 6 - 8 Granny Smith apples, see instruction 3 for prep work |
| 2 tablespoons lemon juice |
| 1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar |
| 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon |
| 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour |
| Pinch of salt |
| 1 tablespoon of butter, cut into six pieces |
| Instructions |
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| • Preheat oven to 425º. |
| • Combine the sugar, cinnamon, flour, and salt in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. |
| • Peel and core the apples. Slice them thinly between 1/8-1/4-inch thick. There should be about 8 cups of sliced apples. Toss them with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Watch this video for instructions on how to peel, core, and slice an apple. |
| • Add the flour and sugar mixture to the apples. Gently combine. Let stand while rolling out the crust. |
| • Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Cut the dough in half. Roll one half out. It should be about 2 inches larger than your pan and about 1/4-inch thick. Put this dough in the bottom of the pan. Trim the dough so that all the sides are equal. Let the excess hang over the side. | • Roll the other half of the dough out in the same manner. |
| • Toss the apples again and put them in the pie pan on top of the dough. Put the butter pieces randomly on top of the apple slices. |
| • Carefully put the pastry on top of the apples. Trim the excess dough such that the bottom and the top dough are the same length. You may need to patch some areas that are too short. Use a little water and flour as the "glue" to seal it to the other pastry. |
| • Crimp the edges together sealing the top and bottom pastries. I find tucking the top dough under the bottom dough is a good approach. Make sure to seal the two pieces together. If the dough gets sticky dip your fingers in some flour. Make a decorative design around the edge. Cut three slits in the top pastry in order to let the steam escape. See pictures below. |
| • Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 375º and bake 35 more minutes. If the top of the pie starts to brown too much, then cover with aluminum foil. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. |
| Variations |
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| • Add raisins and/or fresh mint. |
| • Use a different kind of apple or a variety of apples. |
| Storage |
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| • The pie can be baked a day or two ahead. Cover loosely with foil. You can also refrigerate it for 2 - 3 days. |
| • If you want to freeze the unbake pie, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap without making slits in the top of the pastry. The unbaked pie can be frozen for up to 2 months. Bake 25 minutes at 425º then 35 minutes at 375º. |
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