I ... made pie!

Cafe Society
#1

It’s fall and it’s time to make pie. Now, I’ve made lots of pies, but never any crust (I have found the frozen Pillsbury to be excellent) and most of the pies I’ve made have been of the cheesecake, pumpkin or pecan variety. No fruit pies.

Well.

Let me tell you about going to apple country in North Carolina a couple weekends ago, where I bought a couple peck’s worth of various kinds of apples. I’m planning numerous pies and fried apples over the next few months, provided the coolness of my garage holds out.

The second thing I bought was one of these babies … a Back To Basics Apple and Potato Peeler. I love the name: “back to basics,” for that is what this is. An old-fashioned apple peerler, corer and slicer which in one smooth motion, with the crank of a substantial and sharp metal blade, reduces an apple to a spiraled masterpiece. I sliced about five Granny Smith apples, to make six cups of perfect apple slices. I mixed together about a half-cup of sugar, one tablespoon of flour, and a half-teaspoon-ish each of cinnamon and allspice, poured it over the sliced apples and then —

The next thing I did was make my crusts. With lard. Yes, I said LARD. Oh lardy, lardy! The lardy goodness it contains. Two cups of Lily White all-purpose flour, 2/3 of a cup of lard and six tablespoons of … [secret ingredient] and I had perfect pie crust.

I rolled them out. I filled them with the luscious perfect apple slices. I cut holes in the top to let steam escape, and I brushed the crust with [secret ingredient], sprinkled it with some sugar … and then I … I … baked the pie.

It was awesome! Flaky crust, delicious filling, and topped with a scoop of ice cream, it was really the best pie ever made.

The secret ingredient is apple juice. Mix it into your crust, brush it on the top and use lard. When you come back, you’ll bring pie.

Apple Pie
6 cups sliced apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon four
cinnamon
allspice

Combine all ingredients, set aside. Make (or purchase) pie crust. If you’re making it, use lard and apple juice. Fill crust with fruit, top with second crust. Don’t forget to cut vent holes in top crust! Shield edges with aluminum foil; bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove foil, bake another 25 minutes until brown and apples are bubbly.

Amen.

Please share all your pie-making secrets.

#2

Well, I’m excited about my pie, anyway. I can’t wait to use my peeler some more. And watch out, mashed potatoes! I’m all over you.

#3

I was given about a bushel of apples this weekend, but I think I’m going to make a crisp since I have to get it done during the week.

I still have lofty goals of perfecting pie crust, and I will try your recipe next weekend.

Pie good.

Oh, and I liked your peeler, so I ordered one too. To deal with my bushel of apples. Them’s a lot of apples.

#4

You **should **be excited about your pie! It sounds heavenly. It also sounds simpler than what I’ve been making, so I’ll be bookmarking your recipe! It’s very gratifying to make your own crust, even if you only use butter and Crisco and not LARD!

#5

I like pie.

#6

Your name is Cherry and you made apple? Do you not have a pie bird?
http://www.piebirds.co.uk/

#7

I was going to venture a guess that your “secret” ingredient for the crust was Vodka. Give it a try next time when you’re making crust. It will be tender and flaky.

I love my peeler-corer-slicer too. I used it to make dozens of pints of applesauce last week.

Your apple pie sounds wonderful. I make a Pear pie along the same lines. Peel, core and slice pears. Toss pears and some dried cherries with a shot or two of brandy, 1/2 cup sugar and a wee bit of flour. Seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon. Place pears & cherries into bottom crust. Dot with some bits 'o butter and add the top crust. It might sound weird, but is rather tasty.

#8

Heathens! Using sliced apples in a pie… don’t you know that chunks of apples are CRISP AND DELICIOUS???

I also prefer butter crusts, but then I like a moister, chewier crust. I’ve done lard, and it’s too flaky for my taste. I’ve thought about doing a butter bottom crust and lard top crust, to get a mix, but I’m too lazy to ever do it, I think. Also, I like a smidge of ginger. Never tried allspice, I may have to give that a shot next time.

My biggest pie-making secret, though, is using a European style rolling pin. Getting the crust rolled out to the right shape is much easier with an angled pin.

#9

My daughter & her husband got a bushel of apples from a local food bank. Last week we peeled & sliced them. Most of the apples went for applesauce, but 3-4 cups of apples went into the freezer for pies.

My daughter is 21, her husband is 20. They’ve been married for 15 months & have a 3-month-old son. They live with us. I mention this because of howproud they both are that they can take a raw thing (apples) & turn it into something that feeds the family.

I taught them how to make applesauce. Lesson two will be how to make pie crusts.

Love, Phil

#10

Mmmm … pie!

I have never heard of pie birds. They’re hysterical!

We polished off the last of the pie last night. I’m not sure I can wait until Thanksgiving to crank out another one. My waistline, however, can’t stand any more abuse. :stuck_out_tongue:

#11

10 posts in and no one has demanded that when the OP come back she bring pie?
I’m sad, I keep seeing great recipes for baked goods but my oven is toast (the temp goes too high) and I can’t bake anything except in a toaster oven. Maybe I could bake some mini-pies in it?

#12

Yeah, you should have made Ellen Cherry pie!

I haven’t made pie yet this year. I saw the apples ripen on the tree, and I saw them disappear. (Whether they simply dropped onto the ground or the squirrels ate them I don’t know.) I’ve just been lazy. And thats very lazy to put off something that’s as easy as pie! I’ve been thinking for a few days now about making some pecan pie.

#13

The next gadget I have my eye on, Johnny, is a cherry-pitter, so when I make Ellen Cherry Pie, I’ll report back. And bring pie.

And hey, why make pecan pie when you can make Derby Pie? It’s fabu.

Derby Pie

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons Bourbon (opt.) [Eh, go on, put it in!]

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine sugar, corn syrup and eggs in mixing bowl. Beat at low speed until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients and pour into a 9" unbaked pie shell*. Bake 45-50 minutes or until set.

Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Don’t read this part:
Per serving: 3571 Calories; 158g Fat (38% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 561g Carbohydrate; 968mg Cholesterol; 1557mg Sodium

*Make your own crust. With lard! :slight_smile:

#14

My secret is to use two different kinds of apples. One should stay solid and one should close to disentegrate while cooking. Research which varieties will do which and then get one from each category to go in your pie. Much better texture than going with just one kind of apple.

#15

Puddlegum, I agree with the two kinds of apples secret. I have done this but more because I happened to have two kinds of apples around. I will have to try this idea in a more deliberate way and see what kind of results I can come up with. Thanks for bringing this idea up! Now I gotta make a pie!

I love baking pies. Apple is for sure a winner, but my secret to the perfect apple pie is the addition of cranberries. So wonderfully tasty!!

I don’t really measure them, just pour in as many from the bag as I see fit, maybe a half a bag or so, a couple cups, whatever. I love cranberries so I just load in as many as I can. They give the pie a tangy sweet/tart taste, more sweet than tart, though. They also add an eye catching bright red color throughout the apples, and a pink colored juice that looks nice, too. Unexpected color for an apple pie yet perfect for a seasonal feast! Fresh cranberries are best but I normally try and freeze several bags at this time of year for use after the season. I have used my frozen cranberries for pies with no problems.

My other absolute must for apple pie (and most pies of this kind) is a lattice-woven top crust. A woven top essential.

Here is a pie I made about a year ago that I took a picture of prior to baking. I do not think I took a post-bake shot since apparently, can’t find one on my drive. I must have been running late to get to where ever this pie and I were heading. It is an awesome deep-dish-pie porn shot, though.

Now I really gotta make pie!!

#16

damn. I think I need to make one of these. Soon.

Ellen…ever make a chess pie?

#17

The lard secret is interesting. I’ve heard that makes the best pie, but I was vegetarian until recently, and my brother is still vegetarian yet an apostle at the High Church of Pie, and I don’t think I coudl do that to him. So my crusts are all-butter crusts, and damn tasty.

I don’t do apple pie very often. But I like it. I should do it soon.

Daniel

#18

Would they be the ones that worship Pie in the Sky?

#19

Yep–he has a bumper sticker that says, “Pie is my co-Godlet.”

Daniel

#20

I saw one yesterday that said, “Dog is my co-pirate.” :smiley:

I forgot to mention yesterday, Cowgirl Jules how excited I am that I influenced you to buy a peeler! Many times, after reading something on the Dope, I’ll buy this or that, or change some habit or routine (for the better, I might add). So anyway, I’m happy that someone took my advice! I hope it works out for you and you love it as much as I love mine.

Big Blue (could you be from my home state???), I stand in awe of that pie. :eek: :cool: It defies gravity. Hell, it defies all laws of physics! It is the awesomest awesome pie I’ve ever seen. Mercy, pie-porn. I never thought I’d see that day when I’d agree that this, indeed, is an accurate assessment of this pie. It is The King of Pie.

And no I’ve never made a chess pie, but I do love them deeply. They are similar to Derby Pie, which is sort of a pecan/chess pie type thing. With chocolate! Don’t ever forget the chocolate.

Also I love the two-apple suggestion. What is a good variety that holds up under PIE?