My grandmother made the best apple pie I've ever had. Fortunately, she taught me to make it, and it's very simple. I've made some slight changes to the instructions but not the contents. I think Grandma would approve. Grown men have wrestled on the floor for the last slice of my pie. (Meanwhile, I nabbed it and gave it to the host, but that's another story.) You too can make this absolutely luscious, traditional dessert.
You'll need:
A pie plate, an oven, a cookie sheet with a rim around it (otherwise known as a jelly roll sheet), upper and lower pie crusts (make your own for best results, but Pillsbury is perfectly acceptable), six very tart apples, dark brown sugar (dark brown sugar gives more flavor than light brown sugar!), ground cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons of butter.
Regarding the apples: get the tartest apples you can get your hands on. You'll be using improbable amounts of sugar, so very tart apples balance it a bit better. They also have delicious flavor, and the tartness will be eliminated by the sugar. My grandmother used heirloom apples my grandfather grew. If you don't have access to heirloom pie apples, granny smith apples will do.
The Easy Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The rack should be in about the center position.
Place the lower crust (raw) in the pie plate. Do not pre-bake the crust: you will place a complete raw pie in the oven later.
| If you're in a hurry, instead of peeling, coring, and slicing the apples by hand, you can use a peeler-corer-slicer tool. This remarkable gadget impales the apple on a spindle and then, by simply cranking the handle, rotates it through several blades, and what comes out is a long stream of removed peel, a core, and spiral-cut apple flesh. One quick chop of the knife, and you have apple slices. The entire operation takes perhaps a minute per apple. It sounds too good to be true, but my grandparents had them for many decades, and mine works perfectly too. If you like to make apple pies, I highly recommend it. |
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Peel each apple and chop it into four slices. Cut out the core. Discard peels, core, and stem. Each apple should then be cut into about 100 slices: that's to say, thin enough that light will shine through each slice. Very thin slices seem to help the apple release its juice into the pie to make it even more moist and delicious.
Spread one layer of apple slices over the inside of the lower crust. Dust the apples with the ground cinnamon. Cover them with a layer of dark brown sugar of equal thickness to the apples. Repeat until you run out of apples. Cut the butter into three pats and place them on top of the last layer of apples and sugar.
Place the top crust on the pie and close the edges. To do this, first roll up any excess that overhangs the edge of the pie plate. Then, using the tines of a fork, gently press the edges down so that it's closed nicely and looks good.
Using a knife, cut three or four slits in the top center of the pie, going out from near the center. These are vents to allow steam to escape so the pie doesn't explode in the oven.
Place the pie plate on the cookie sheet (jelly roll pan). Place the pan in the oven. The pie cooks until the crust is golden brown or it overflows with juice, whichever comes first. (They usually happen at about the same time.) Cooking time is usually about 15 to 20 minutes.
Note: You can prepare the pie in advance, wrap it in aluminum foil, and refrigerate it for a few hours until you're ready to bake it.
Serving suggestion:
Your family or guests will be eager for generous slices of this juicy and delicious pie. Ladle some of the juices from the pie plate onto the serving plate for them to enjoy, and consider serving with homemade ice cream on the side.