Fall in Love - Day 10: Home Made Apple Pie

The first thing Phil ever made for me was apple pie. He made it from scratch, crust and all. I had him over for dinner and he asked if he could bring dessert. We didn't even eat it while he was over, but my roommates and I ate it later and LOVED it! Apple pie will always have a special place in my heart!!!

I got this recipe from momswhothink.com, but I made a few adjustments to it so I didn't have to let the crust set overnight in the fridge.

Ingredients:

Pastry for crusts (recipe below)
8 cups sliced, peeled assorted baking apples - about 3 lbs. (Granny Smith, Cortland, Jonathan, I used Jonathan)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon milk

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice.
2. Combine sugars, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; add to apples and toss well to coat.
3. Fill pastry lined 9 inch pie pan with apple mixture. Dot with butter.
4. Place second crust on top of pie filling, cut slits in top of crust to vent. Seal the edges of the crust with a fork or by hand.
5. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and milk. Brush mixture over top crust.
6. Bake at 425 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.


Flaky Pastry Pie Crust Recipe

Makes two 9-inch pie crusts (one for the bottom and one on top)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, chilled and diced
1/2 cup ice water

Directions:

1. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in the ice water, a Tablespoon at a time, until the crust mixture forms a ball.
4. Sprinkle flour onto rolling surface. Roll dough out, then divide in half. Roll each half to fit a 9-inch pie plate.
5. Place crust in pie plate, pressing evenly into the bottom and sides.

Start with a bag of apples...I picked these Jonathan Apples at Tuttle's.

*The woman told me that to keep apples longer, wet them and keep them in the crisper section of your fridge. They will keep for months that way.

Peel the apples...I used a garbage bowl for the skins to make it easier for clean up.
Put all the apples in a bowl...Sprinkle lemon juice (or salt water works too) on them to keep them from going brown....Clearly I have some spots I missed.
Core and cut the apples
My little system...whole apple, cores, cut apple slices.
Cover the apples in the sugar mix
Shake them up to glaze them
Roll out the crust
Put the crust in the pan
Pour the apples in the crust
Use the second crust to cover the pie
Pinch the sides shut
Glaze the top with the egg, milk mix. Cut a design in the top for relief cuts.
Put them in the oven for 45 or so minutes.
Take out your yummy pie and enjoy (a la mode would be wonderful)!!!