Easy as Apple Pie

One of the greatest memories I have when I was growing up was my great grandmother’s kitchen. She was a lovely Italian woman who came to America from Italy as a young woman so she could finally marry the boy of her dreams. She was not very tall and she did not speak English well at all. However, that woman could cook.  She made everything from scratch, because that was the way she was taught and, honestly, that was all that was available back then. I remember the front yard of her brick house being tilled and planted with all sorts of vegetables and herbs. White trellises of wood were adorned with red and white grapes for her personal winemaking.  Pantries (more than one of course) were filled with canned tomatoes and green beans. Just walking through her back door transported you from the small city streets of Maine to the cozy center of an Italian heritage. The smells that wafted through the windows ranged from garlic spiced spaghetti sauce to the cinnamon infused apples in her homemade apple pie.

Her apple pie was not like any other I had ever known. Sitting on her windowsill there were no small round pie pans steaming from the oven. No, my great grandmother baked her apple pie in a giant 11 x15 rectangle pan and more often than not, she made more than one at a time.  The kitchen would be filled with all the makings of flour, shortening, sugar, cinnamon, and apples – everything she needed to make her own crust and pie filling. It was a treat for anyone to have a piece of her pie, and being the Italian momma that she was, you went home with some too.

Apple pie has always been an absolute favorite of mine. There is something about the tartness of a Macintosh apple mixed with the right combination of cinnamon and sugar that speaks to the little girl in me every time. Apple pie is a reminder of autumn leaves and bright orange pumpkins sitting on the front porch. We make apple pie when the air turns brisk and we pull out our favorite sweaters for those long evenings in front of the fire. It’s not Thanksgiving unless there is at least one apple pie sitting on the dessert table waiting to be cut open. Apple pie is one of the most beloved desserts anyone could ask for.

With the holidays fast approaching I thought it would be appropriate to begin this blog with a simple recipe for apple pie.  There are many personal tastes for this wonderful baked good, so feel free to experiment and make it your own. Some people love lots of cinnamon, some like to add nutmeg. Some connoisseurs will tell you to make the apples al dente, while others prefer their apples to be soft and glazed. My father personally likes his apples diced smaller and slathered with lots of cinnamon and sugar. Whichever way you enjoy your pie, make it so you want to dive into it as soon as it comes out of the oven. It doesn’t matter if it’s soupy or firm, or you enjoy it with cheese on top or ice cream, all that is required is that when you take that first bite, you revel in the delight of your creation.

The recipe that follows is one I have used since I was old enough to read recipes. In our family, we taste everything as each step progresses. Taste your apples and decide if they are sweet or tart. I love using a combination of granny smith apples along with gala. (If I were still back in Maine, I would only use Macintosh.) Find your favorite apple or apple combination. If the apples prove to be tart, add more sugar. Try one or two of the pieces after you have added the cinnamon and sugar and see how it tastes. If it tastes good before it’s cooked, it will taste great after it’s baked. That’s a simple trick I learned throughout my experiences baking. (It works with cookie dough too.) Once you've decided the apples are seasoned enough then it’s time to pour them into the pie crust.

Just a note on pie crusts – they are not always easy to make. I struggle from time to time to create just the right texture and tenderness when it comes to my apple pie. More times than not, I prefer to buy my crusts already made and save the time and energy trying to produce one. Usually I am so excited to be able to make apple pie that I have no patience with the shell. It’s your choice if you want to make your own crust or buy one from the grocery store. I have included a pie crust recipe for those who are ambitious, just in case.

The most important thing to remember when baking an apple pie or anything else in your kitchen for that matter is to have fun. Don’t be afraid to make the recipe your own. That is exactly what I have done with many of the recipes you will find on this sight. If you are new to cooking or baking, follow the recipe and enjoy your rewards. As you become more experienced, experimenting will become part of the fun too.

April’s Apple Pie Recipe

2    9inch pie crusts (unbaked)

5-7 apples (depending on size)

1 cup sugar

4-5 teaspoons cinnamon

1-2 tablespoons flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel and slice apples into nice size pieces. (For new bakers – do not use the cores. J) Place in large bowl. Add cinnamon and sugar. Mix well until all apples are coated. Taste the apples; if the mixture is sweet enough, it’s done. If you prefer it sweeter add more sugar and/or cinnamon, depending on your preference. Add the flour to keep filling from becoming too runny. Let apple mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. If it looks too syrupy, add more flour. Mix well.

Place apples in bottom pie crust. Try to arrange apples as flat as possible so the filling is full. Place other pie crust on top of the apples carefully. Press edges together between your fingers to seal them. Make indentations along the edges to make it look pretty – you can use your fingers or fork tines. Make a few small cuts into top crust with a knife to release the steam.

Cook at 375 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. Watch to ensure your pie crust doesn't burn. Let cool and enjoy. (For easier clean-up, I place my pie on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. This is just in case the juices build up and over flow.)

Simple Pie Crust Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 sticks of cold unsalted butter - cut into small pieces

8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

1.      Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and stir briefly until mixed properly. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s in pea-size pieces that are slightly yellow in color, about 4 to 5 minutes. (For new bakers, this means to crumble the butter into the dry ingredients until its combined and in small pieces.)

2.      Drizzle in 8 tablespoons of the ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. (Add the last tablespoon of ice water if necessary, but don’t overwork the dough or it’ll become tough.)

3.      Divide the dough into two mounds. Shape or roll each mound of dough into a flat disk approximately 12 inches across, cover it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then place it in a pie pan for the bottom crust. Save the other one for the top crust. (If you leave it on the plastic wrap, it’s easier to place on your filling.)

4.      This recipe makes enough dough for the top and bottom of 9- to 9-1/2-inch apple pie.