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.