Apple Pie Recipe

 

An apple pie recipe is a staple in everyone's recipe box.  One with a flaky, melt in your mouth crust and a sweet apple filling.  A pie that has everyone asking for a second piece, warm . . . with ice cream!

I remember the first time I attempted to make an apple pie from scratch.  My Grandpa had gone to the Okanagan to visit his sister and when he returned he dropped off a huge box of Okanagan apples for our family.

Looking through my mother's cookbooks, I found a Betty Crocker recipe that didn't sound too difficult.  The pie turned out fantastic and, with only a few adjustments, it is the recipe that I still use today.

Over the years, I have learned a couple of tips that help in the making of this recipe:

• If the shortening is cold, the pastry will be easier to roll out and less sticky.
• Rolling the pastry between two pieces of parchment paper helps to keep the dough from sticking to the counter and rolling pin.  The parchment paper also eliminates the need for extra flour and makes transferring the dough to the pie dish so much easier.

Ingredients for pastry

• 2/3 cup plus 2 tbsp shortening
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 - 6 tbsp cold water

Directions for pastry

Cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas.  Sprinkle in water, 1 tbsp at a time, tossing with a fork until all the flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans the side of the bowl.

Roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie plate between two pieces of parchment paper.  Gently remove top layer of parchment and place inverted pie plate on dough.  Flip over and gently remove the second layer of parchment from the dough, being careful not to tear dough.  Press into pie plate and remove excess dough from around rim with a knife.

Note: If the dough does tear, do not worry about it.  Just patch up the areas with the extra dough you have trimmed off the edge and you are good to go.  Nobody will notice once the pie is baked.

Roll the second layer of pastry between the parchment paper and set aside.

Ingredients for filling

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 6 cups apples, peeled and cut into small pieces

• 2 tbsp butter (set aside)

Directions for filling

Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon in large mixing bowl.  

Peel, core and cut apples and place in bowl.  Stir until all the dry mixture and apples are combined.  Place apples in prepared pie crust.  Dot with the 2 tbsp of butter.  

Place the second crust over the pie.  Fold the overflow of dough along the edges of the pie plate building up a thicker outer crust.

Make a couple small slices with a knife in the middle of top crust to allow steam to escape when baking.  Embellish crust if desired.

Place pie on a parchment lined cookie sheet in case of spillage.  Cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil.  Bake at 425 F for 30 minutes.  Remove foil from around edges and bake an additional 15 minutes. 

Cool for 15 - 30 minutes before serving.

Variation - Apple Tarts 

Skip making the crust and purchase frozen tart shells instead.  Place the ingredients for apple pie filling, including the butter, into a medium sized pot and cook until the apples are softened.  Add up to 1/4 cup water if it becomes too thick.  

Using 27 tarts - place 24 of them on two parchment lined baking sheet.  Allow three of the tart shells to come to room temperature.  Roll out the dough and, using a small size cookie cutter, cut out 24 shapes.

When filling is cooked, divide evenly among the 24 shells on the baking sheets.  Top each tart with one of the cut out shapes.  

Bake at 350 F for 18 - 20 minutes.  Let cool before serving.