Apple Pie
We bought a huge bag of apples during the lockdown, enough for an-apple-a-day for 2, for 2 weeks of isolation. However, we soon discovered the apples were old, soft and bruised. They had to be used and quick!
Pie, of course.
How many apples fit in a pie? I used 8 apples because a) they were small-ish b) I had to cut away some bruises and scars and c) I used my largest pie plate. Judge your apple requirements accordingly.
Apple Pie
1 lemon
8 apples (more or less)
3/4 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter
A dash of milk
Pastry for a double crust pie (recipe below)
1. Squeeze the lemon juice into a large bowl. Add a dash of water. Peel, core and cut the apples into thin slices, tossing with the lemon juice as you go. Note: this step prevents browning.
2. Drain excess lemon water. Stir in sugar and cinnamon.
3. Tip the apples into a pie plate lined with the bottom pastry, smoothing the apples to the edges of the pie. Dot with the butter cut into four little pieces.
4. Place the top pastry and crimp the edges. Cut a decorative vent in the pastry. Wipe the top lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Place the pie in a 425F oven on a lower rack. (This ensures the bottom crust cooks crisply while reducing the chance of burnt edges on top.) Cook for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375F. Cook for another 25 minutes.
6. After 25 minutes, check the apples for doneness ~ using a fork, poke the apples through a vent. Does the fork pierce the apples effortlessly, or is there some resistance to the fork? If there is resistance, cook the pie for another 5 or 10 minutes.
7. Place the pie on a wire rack to cool. Admire your handiwork 😍
Pie Pastry
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold lard or vegetable shortening
1/2 cup cold butter
1 beaten egg
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup ice water
1. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl.
2. Cut lard and butter into small pieces and work into the flour with a pastry blender and/or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few little pebbles here and there. Work quickly so the lard and butter don't warm up.
3. Stir together egg, vinegar and ice water. Pour over flour. With a fork, stir the liquid into flour until incorporated, then use your hands to press the remaining flour into the dough. Work quickly. Don't knead. Press.
Note: at this point, I put the dough on the counter, tip out the flour left in the bowl and press it all together into a ball.
4. Cut the dough into four equal quarters and shape each quarter into a ball. Don't knead! Use a pressing motion with your hands. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling.
Note: the pastry can be refrigerated for longer than 1 hour, even overnight, but it will be stiffer and harder to roll. It also freezer well, so if you only need 2 crusts at this time, wrap the other 2 and freeze them for another pie day.
5. Roll pastry with a rolling pin until it is wide enough to fit in your pie plate with some overhang. This pastry is also good for meat pies, single crust pies such as lemon meringue or a quiche.
We bought a huge bag of apples during the lockdown, enough for an-apple-a-day for 2, for 2 weeks of isolation. However, we soon discovered the apples were old, soft and bruised. They had to be used and quick!
Pie, of course.
How many apples fit in a pie? I used 8 apples because a) they were small-ish b) I had to cut away some bruises and scars and c) I used my largest pie plate. Judge your apple requirements accordingly.
Apple Pie
1 lemon
8 apples (more or less)
3/4 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter
A dash of milk
Pastry for a double crust pie (recipe below)
1. Squeeze the lemon juice into a large bowl. Add a dash of water. Peel, core and cut the apples into thin slices, tossing with the lemon juice as you go. Note: this step prevents browning.
2. Drain excess lemon water. Stir in sugar and cinnamon.
3. Tip the apples into a pie plate lined with the bottom pastry, smoothing the apples to the edges of the pie. Dot with the butter cut into four little pieces.
4. Place the top pastry and crimp the edges. Cut a decorative vent in the pastry. Wipe the top lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
5. Place the pie in a 425F oven on a lower rack. (This ensures the bottom crust cooks crisply while reducing the chance of burnt edges on top.) Cook for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 375F. Cook for another 25 minutes.
6. After 25 minutes, check the apples for doneness ~ using a fork, poke the apples through a vent. Does the fork pierce the apples effortlessly, or is there some resistance to the fork? If there is resistance, cook the pie for another 5 or 10 minutes.
7. Place the pie on a wire rack to cool. Admire your handiwork 😍
Pie Pastry
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold lard or vegetable shortening
1/2 cup cold butter
1 beaten egg
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup ice water
1. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl.
2. Cut lard and butter into small pieces and work into the flour with a pastry blender and/or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few little pebbles here and there. Work quickly so the lard and butter don't warm up.
3. Stir together egg, vinegar and ice water. Pour over flour. With a fork, stir the liquid into flour until incorporated, then use your hands to press the remaining flour into the dough. Work quickly. Don't knead. Press.
Note: at this point, I put the dough on the counter, tip out the flour left in the bowl and press it all together into a ball.
4. Cut the dough into four equal quarters and shape each quarter into a ball. Don't knead! Use a pressing motion with your hands. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling.
Note: the pastry can be refrigerated for longer than 1 hour, even overnight, but it will be stiffer and harder to roll. It also freezer well, so if you only need 2 crusts at this time, wrap the other 2 and freeze them for another pie day.
5. Roll pastry with a rolling pin until it is wide enough to fit in your pie plate with some overhang. This pastry is also good for meat pies, single crust pies such as lemon meringue or a quiche.