It is one of the classic recipes that most people love to try at home in the Fall whether it is for a holiday, a Sunday dessert or just because they love it. Of course, I am talking about apple pie. I love apple pie myself and could eat a lot more of it if I had the chance. Since this is apple season and we live in the Hudson Valley in New York, apples are everywhere right now. There are many great local orchards here where you can get fantastic apples to use for all kinds of cooking, baking and just plain eating. We had picked up some apples recently and Michelle knew right away that she wanted to make apple pie, which made Sean and me quite happy. I love the smell of the pie just cooking in the oven and the taste is always fantastic. There are many different pie dough recipes out there, so use the one you like best or use store-bought pie dough if that’s what you have time for. Michelle tried this recipe from the Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook.
Classic Apple Pie
1 recipe for double-crust pie dough or 2 store-bought pie doughs
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds Empire or Cortland apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Roll 1 disk of pie dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter. Loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin and gently unroll it into a 9-inch pie plate.,letting the excess hang over the edge. Ease the dough into the pie plate by gently lifting the edge of the dough with 1 hand while pressing the dough into the plate bottom with the other hand. Leave any dough that overhangs the plate in place. Wrap the dough-lined pie plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes. Roll the other disk of dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter, then transfer it to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack and heat the oven to 500 degrees.
Mix 3/4 cup of sugar, the flour, lemon zest, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice together in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and apples and toss until combined. Spread the apples with their juices into the dough-lined pie plate, mounding them slightly in the middle. Loosely roll the remaining dough round around the rolling pin and gently unroll it onto the filling. Trim the overhang to 1/2 inch beyond the lip of the pie plate. Pinch the edges of the top and bottom crusts firmly together. Tuck the overhang under itself; the folded edge should be flush with the edge of the plate. Crimp the dough evenly around the edge of the pie using your fingers. Cut four 2-inch slits in the top of the dough. Brush the surface with the beaten egg white and sprinkle the surface evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Place the pie on the heated baking sheet, reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees, and bake until the crust is light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees, rotate the baking sheet, and continue to bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is a deep golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes longer. Let the pie cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 4 hours, before serving.
Now I know everyone has their own pie recipe that their family has used for generations and may have their own particular way of making apple pie. If you like what you have, stick to it and use that. If you are looking for something new to try or have never made one before, this is a good recipe to try out. The pie came out perfectly with the crust a great color and cooked well on the top and bottom. Heating the baking sheet before putting the pie in helps to make sure the bottom crust is cooked. You also want to try to use a mix of apples to get a good blend of sweet and tart for great flavor. Again, use the apples you like best, but the pie experts we know seem to recommend Empires and Cortlands as the best to go with.
That’s all I have for today. Check back again for some more recipes. There’s always lots more to come, including two recipes I just made for some different soups we tried here at home, a beer braised chicken thighs recipe, sausages, and more. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!
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