How Do Ya Like Them Apples...?

My First Apple Pie...

I've never made an apple pie before. Or, any pie before for that matter... Well, maybe I tried making a pecan pie once as a present for my Dad on Father's Day, but, I most certainly bought the crust from the store.

Yesterday, my "knottie" friend Kedrin got married. In exchange for her help at my wedding, I was her "ceremony set-up/reception set-up/coordinator/keeper-of-the-timeline" extraodinaire. The wedding was fantastic! Kedrin, Ellis, and all of their guests had a great time.

At the reception, there were some very cute fall-ish apple centerpieces, and, at the end of the night, I packed everything up in my car to cart it away from the Mount Vernon Inn. With centerpieces from at least 20 tables - that's a lot of apples...
So, I thought that today's as good as any to make my first apple pie!

Chances are, you'll see quite a few apple recipes in the next couple of weeks!

So - here's the end result! Not the prettiest, but, I hope it tastes good... my coworkers will let me know tomorrow, I'm sure.

The "2BMrsEAB" Apple Pie
Makes 1 9-inch deep dish apple pie
Source: Better Homes & Gardens - with just a couple tweaks

- 10-12 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 T lemon juice (optional)
- 2 T flour
- 1 t cinnamon (BHG recipe called for 1/2 t)
- 1/8 t ground nutmeg
- 3 T crystalized ginger, chopped in really small pieces (optional, this was an addition to the BHG recipe - an idea I got from the Good Housekeeping Cookbook)

Dump everything in a big bowl, and toss to coat the apples (this is my version of the much longer BHG recipe instructions...). Once coated, place the apples on top of an uncooked pie crust (recipe below) that has been placed in a 9inch pie pan. Once the apples are mounded in the pan, cover with the top half of the uncooked piecrust, and seal the edges all the way around the pie. Cut a few slits on the top center to let steam escape. Since the pie may bubble over, place the pie on a cookie sheet while cooking.
If you want the crust to brown a bit on the top, brush with milk. You can also sprinkle with sugar for decoration (optional).
Cover the edges loosely with foil, so the edges don't burn. Cook at 375 for 40 minutes, remove the foil, and cook for another 20 minutes.

The crust recipe was given to me by a fellow D.C. knottie - I think it was vtinmdbride? Once I remember, I'll post who it was!

Pie Crust
Joy of Cooking Flaky Pastry Dough
(makes two 9-inch pie crusts, or two 9.5-10-inch tart crusts, or one 9-inch covered pie crust)

This dough makes a light, flaky crust that shatters at the touch of a fork. (They reference a couple of other pages in the JoC for process info.) If you only need a single crust, decrease all ingredients by half, or freeze half the dough for future use.

Using a rubber spatula (or Kitchen Aid mixer), thoroughly mix in a bowl:
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar (or 1 tbsp powdered sugar)
1 tsp salt

Add:
1 cup solid vegetable shortening, or 1/2 cup shortening (1/2 stick Crisco) and 8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter

Break the shortening into large chunks; if using butter, cut it into small pieces, then add it to the flour mixture. Cut the fat into the dry ingredients by chopping vigorously with a pastry blender, or by cutting in opposite directions with 2 knives, one held in each hand. (Or, use Kitchen Aid to mix.) When you are through, some of the fat should remain in pea-sized pieces; the rest should be reduced to the consistency of coarse crumbs or cornmeal. The mixture should seem dry and powdery and not pasty or greasy. Drizzle over the flour and fat mixture:

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp ice water (Britta in the fridge works well here)

Using the rubber spatula, cut with the blade side until the mixture looks evenly moistened and begins to form small balls. Press down on the dough with the flat side of the spatula. If the balls of dough stick together, you have added enough water. If not, drizzle over the top:

1-2 tbsp ice water

Cut in the water, again using the blade of the spatula, then press with your hands until the dough coheres.

(Or, use KA to mix until a ball is formed - much easier!)

The dough should look rough, not smooth.

Divide the dough in half, press each half into a round flat disk, and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and preferably for several hours (the freezer is a good back-up plan!), or for up to 2 days before rolling. The dough can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months; thaw completely before rolling.