posted by alsgirl 09-21-98 9:06 PM
Apple of Her Eye Pie
Pastry:
3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose flour
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Dry mustard
Pinch of Salt
8 TBL Unsalted butter, cold (1 stick)
1/3 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
6-8 TBL Ice water
Filling:
8 Tart apples (ie. Granny Smith, etc.)
4 TBL Unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup + 2 TBL Sugar
2 TBL Cornstarch
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Grated lemon zest
1 tsp. Vanilla
Topping:
1 tsp. Sugar
Pinch of Cinnamon
Prepare the pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar, mustard and salt in a mixing bowl and toss well to blend. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives or your fingertips, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture forms small clumps. Then add the cheese and work it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the water, 2 tablespoons at a time, over the mixture and toss with a fork until the mixture can be gathered into a ball. Knead it once or twice in the bowl and divide it into slightly unequal halves. Wrap both halves and chill in the fridge for 45 min.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the filling: Peel, core and halve the apples; cut them into 1" chunks. Combine the apples and melted butter in a large bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients and toss until the apples are evenly coated.
Roll the smaller portion of the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to form a 12" circle. Transfer it to a 10" pie plate and press it into the bottom and sides of the plate. Trim the dough, leaving a 1" overhang. Reserve any excess dough.
Roll the larger portion of dough out to form a slightly larger circle.
Fill the pie plate with the apple mixture, mounding it slightly.
Brush the edge of the bottom crust with water, then transfer the top crust over the apples, tucking it slightly inside the rim. Trim off any excess, allowing a 1" overhang again. Seal the edges of the crusts together with a fork and crimp decoratively. Trim away any remaining excess pastry.
Prepare the Topping: Mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Prick the top crust with a fork in several places and cut a small vent in the center. Brush the top lightly with water and sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar. If you like, cut out shapes, such as leaves or apples, from the dough trimmings and decorate the top crust with them.
Bake until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden, about 1 1/4 hours.
Note:
You can turn this into a Dutch Apple Pie by removing it from the oven 10 minutes before it's finished and pouring
4 TBL of heavy cream through a tiny hole in the center of the top crust. It makes it even more wonderful.
Tip:
Spice your apple pies Scandinavian-style with ground
cardamom instead of cinnamon, it's a nice change.