i had jury duty yesterday and while it wasn't quite thrilling (although i got to make some happy headway in this book), i did get dismissed in time to enjoy an extra hour or two in the afternoon, and decided to make use of some of the apple pie filling that i'd mixed and frozen earlier this month when my favorite apples (cortland) were available locally. i made my favorite pie crust and took samson on a hike at the dog park while it chilled in the fridge, then finished when we got home.
something new for our pies was a braided crust, which was easier than i thought, surprisingly. i had noticed it on pinterest a few weeks ago (it's a martha stewart idea of course) and while i didn't use martha's guide, it still went pretty well. i need more practice braiding dough (and probably a little more patience), but the pie was a lovely surprise for kristie to come home to. since i had frozen the filling beforehand, baking the pie wasn't too time-consuming, but trust me -- it's worth it. it might take longer to do things from scratch with your own two hands, but there's nothing like watching a pile of ingredients turn into a finished product that puts a smile on your family's faces. that's where i find a simple glory and satisfying peace.
my favorite crust recipe is in alice waters' "the art of simple food," and my favorite filling is from "the joy of cooking" (except the 1975 edition...you know, when butter was still a thing). check them out after the jump, and let me know what you think!
ingredients
- 1/2 cup ice-cold water
- 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 12 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small (1/4-inch) pieces
mix together the flour and salt, and add the butter pieces. work the butter into the flour with your fingers, leaving some of the butter in fairly large, irregular pieces (1-2 minutes). the recipe recommends pouring in three quarters of the water at this point, but i usually add it all. stir all the while with a fork until the dough begins to form clumps. divide the dough in two, make each part into a ball, and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. flatten each ball into disks, and chill in the refrigerator for one hour or longer.
take your dog for a walk.
remove the dough disks from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. roll one out on a floured surface, and use it to line a pie plate, making sure the edge of the dough is overhanging a little. put aside a handful of dough from the second ball (to use for the braid) and roll the second one flat. you'll use this one to cover the filling.
filling
ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds apples (5-6 medium/large; if you can't find cortlands, other good pie apples are golden delicious, fuji, and gala), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick (i don't think i could live without this). measure out 6 cups.
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 to 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
preheat oven to 425o.
combine the apples with the dry ingredients and the lemon juice. let sit for about 15 minutes, stirring several times so that the apples soften slightly.
pour the mixture into the bottom crust and level with the back of a spoon. dot the filling with the 2 Tbsp. butter, and cover the filling with the second, flat piece of dough. brush the overhanging dough with cold water, and fold it over the top dough. cut small vents in the top of the dough.
time to braid! take a small piece of the leftover dough and roll it between your hands until it gets a little longer. roll it out, and cut narrow strips (about 1/4-inch thick) 6 inches long, repeating the steps until you have a dozen or so. start carefully braiding three sections of dough, pinching additional strips on when you reach the end (that way the braid will look continuous) until you have enough to fit around the edge of the pie plate. place it in a wide circle around the edge, making adjustments to the braid as necessary.
sprinkle the whole thing with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar, tuck in the ends of the braid, and bake for 30 minutes. slip a baking sheet beneath it, reduce the temperature to 350o, and bake until the fruit feels just tender with a knife. allow the pie to cool completely on a rack (3 to 4 hours) so that filling can thicken properly.
