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Mar 29, 2024

Getting Around

Apple Pie

As American as Mom and Apple Pie! Mmmmm.

This is one of the easiest and most forgiving pies to make. There's a reasonable amount of prep work, but even a badly made pie still tastes great, so the chance of abject failure is very low.

This will make a 9 or 10 inch pie (I don't know for sure because I wing this so much....if you end up with too much apples stuff, add a smidge of water to the leftover and simmer it on the stove top until soft. Spicy apples...mmmm).

  • 4 lbs apples, either a combination of 1/2 tart (Granny Smith) and 1/2 sweet (Delicious or Jonathan) or all a more dynamic apple, say a Courtland or a Winesap. Or mix a bunch of them. You can't break this except by having no personality as in all Delicious. And even then it will still be decent.
  • 3/4 C white sugar
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 1 tsp instant tapioca
  • 3 T flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 T butter
  • Pie Crust

Preheat oven to 4250 F.

Core, peel and slice the apples into a large bowl. I have an Apple Peeler-Corer but you don't need it to do the job and occasionally it is faster and easier to do it with a paring knife, depending on the kind of skin the apple has (thick skin and soft flesh tends to jam. Thin skin and/or firm flesh peels nicely).

Add all of the other ingredients except the butter and toss to cover. I find it works best if you sprinkle the flour and tapioca across the top rather than just dumping it. Less likelihood of lumping.

Line a pie pan with pie crust. Transfer the apples to the pie pan. Press them lightly until they are firmly in the pie plate, but this is not a weight lifting exercise. Just settle them in. Distribute the butter in little pieces across the top.

Cover the pie with the second pie crust and seal the edges. Cut some major slashes in the top to let steam out. Minor fork pricks won't do it. You can make it pretty if you want, but make sure that it is a slash that won't close up. If you REALLY want to get fancy, brush with egg-white and then sprinkle with sugar or, even better if you have it, large crystal sanding sugar.

Place on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper unless you really like to scrub pans or the inside of your oven. This pie will almost surely bubble over. If not, you didn't have enough stuff. We're going for eating here, folks.

Bake for 15 minutes. Drop the temperature to 3500 and continue baking for 45 more minutes. The crust should be light brown and flaky. If it is dark brown it will be alright, but next time check it at 30 minutes. If it is nearly white, give it more time, usually in 10 minute increments. You want it to see sticky bubbly in the slashes or dripping over the edge (I warned you).

I usually cut aluminum foil into strips and put it over the rim of the pie, because that is where the crust is most likely to get overdone before the rest of the pie. Pull off the aluminum foil for the last ten minutes. They even make pie crust protectors for the job, but aluminum foil works fine.

Pull the pie from the oven and set on a rack to cool for at least an hour. Really. If you cut it now you will A) burn your mouth and B) make the good stuff run all over the place. Longer is better. But don't store in the refrigerator. Just get it eaten in a couple of days and all will be well. As if it could last longer.

Options

2 T of Kirschwasser (a cherry liqueur) adds a subtle difference in flavor. I have also used Peach Schapps.

1/2 C of chopped walnuts adds a nice woodsy, more sophisticated flair to this pie.

Serve the pie warm with Frozen Custard or at room temperature with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese.