You Are the Apple of My Eye: The Traditional Apple Pie

Have you been to an apple orchard yet this Fall? Greedy for all goodness a just picked apple has to offer, did you fill bag after bag with the beautiful blushes of red, yellow, and green fruits?

If you are like me, you are now at home with pounds and pounds of apples strewn over the kitchen table. Some roll off and hide under chairs and the china cabinet. My dog got to one while I was attempting to hold back another avalanche and now there are apple bits scattered all over the living room, soaking into the rug, and I simply think: I need pie.

A good apple pie is hard to come by. There are so many recipes for this most American of foods that it is hard to know where to start. A good crust is key, then tons of apples, and a few spices. I add buckwheat honey to mine to give it a special and distinct flavor that rivals the best of pie shops. Mounding the apples in the crust ensures a full pie, ready to take on great heaps of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

If you have not gone apple picking yet this fall, I urge you to go now. There are such wonderful varieties that are so distinct in flavor that it is easy to have your own specialty apple filling that no one else will be able to match.

The Traditional Apple Pie

Makes 1- 9”pie

Crust: Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pâte Sucrée recipe

2 1/2 cups flour

¼ cup sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cut into ½ inch cubes

2 large egg yolks

¼ cup ice water

Apple Pie Filling:

8-10 cups apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick. I used a combination McIntosh, Jonagold, and Honeycrisp

¾ cup flour

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup honey, wildflower or the stronger buckwheat

Juice of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon salt

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon dried ginger

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground clove

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. For the crust-- in the bowl of a food processor combine flour and sugar. Pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

3. In small bowl, combine water and egg yolks. With the food processor on, drizzle in egg mixture, and turn off. Pulse until the dough begins to stick together. Remove lid and squeeze a small bit with fingers. If it just clumps together, but is not sticky it is ready. Divide in half and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Press into a puck shape and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

4. For the filling—In a large bowl combine sliced apples, and remaining ingredients. Toss well and let sit at room temperature until the dough is ready to be worked.

5. Assembly—Lightly dust work surface and, starting from the center, roll pie dough into a circle. Transfer to pie dish and with a slotted spoon, scoop apples into pie dish, leaving any excess liquid behind.

6. Roll out the second half of dough large enough to completely cover pie with an overhang of approximately 1 inch. Cut out shapes using small cookie cutters to vent steam if desired.

7. Place dough over the top of the pie and trim excess from sides. Using a fork or fingers crimp edges to seal together. If no vent holes were cut, slit the dough in a few places.

8. In small bowl, beat together egg and water. Brush the top of the pie with egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar.

9. Place pie on lined cookie sheet and put in oven. Bake 1 – 1 ¼ hours, or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting.

Enjoy! - David

David is a contributing food writer for FOLK.