Update: my mom and dad’s backyard is STILL overflowing with apples. So you guys get to witness my first attempt at making apple pie!
This is one of my mom’s go-to recipes for fall and winter dinners. She prepares the apple mix ahead of time, in multiple batches, and freezes it in Ziploc bags. (I get my make-ahead mentality from her.)
You’ll need:
Pie crust: both the crust and a top crust
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour (plus extra for rolling crust out)
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
A dash of salt
6 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples (I used golden delicious)
1 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg for egg wash
Start by mixing your sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl. I always add a liiiittle more nutmeg and cinnamon than the recipe calls for.
Add the apples and mix some more.
This is the point where you can freeze the mixture in a Ziploc bag. Or- you can proceed with your pie making. Prepare the crust.
(We might have cheated and used a Betty Crocker pre-made mix) Make sure you prepare enough for the top crust too! Set it aside. Line the bottom of your pie crust with an even coating of the bread crumbs.
…And then spoon (or, if you’re my boyfriend, fist) the apple mixture in. Drizzle the melted butter over top.
Put your top crust on! You can go about this a few ways. You can cover the entire pie in one solid top crust, and then cut slits in it for the steam to escape through, or you can cut your top crust into strips and make a lattice design. We did the latter. Just make sure to treat the edges of your bottom crust with an egg wash first so that the crusts can press together easier.
Use a fork to press the top and bottom crusts together, and then use a knife to cut the excess crust off. Brush the entire pie top with some more of the egg wash, and then wrap the edges in tin foil.
Pop your pie in the oven! It should bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes with the tinfoil on, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the crust is brown and the apple begins to bubble through the top crust.
I don’t think it turned out too badly for my first attempt at apple pie! However, if you’re going to attempt this, just make sure you have a fully stocked kitchen. (Ie: don’t try this at your boyfriend’s apartment.) I had to roll the crust with a pint glass and cut the top crust right on the countertop. Ouch. Oh well!
This should pair perfectly with some vanilla ice cream or some cheddar cheese. How do you eat your apple pie? Let me know in the comments.
