Dad's Apple Pie

As Hungry Girls we're about more than just eating out and tasting cheese. We make all our own food as much as we can and we're even tossing around the idea of a Local Food Challenge for next summer. Every week I make Southern Sausage Stew, a recipie I picked up from the Naked Chef's American cookbook. Brats, peppers, and stock, what could be better? Barely anything, as it turns out. I've been making that same recipie every week for almost 5-6 months combined, some in the spring, some this fall. But I'm the sort of person who doesn't need to switch around their food often.

So, seeing as how apple season was about to pass us by (Most of WI's apple crop didn't do so well this year, thanks to the drought), we saddled on up to the grocer's to gather some apple pie ingredients! My Dad taught me how to bake, and a great deal was learned from mistakes made in college. I never spent as much time in the kitchen with my Dad as I ought to have, but it turns out I've got the hidden Baking Gene from Dad's side of the family, so it all evens out in the end. Bread rises for me, pie crusts don't tear, and I've got the Sense for when dough is ready (pastry of bread). The following is the recipie Dad recieved from his mother, Nana.

Any changes or additions that I've made since will be in red, while everything copied from Dad's document will be in green. Here goes:

One double pie crust for a 10” pie top and bottom   Preparation Time: 15 minutes, one hour overall

FROM THE KITCHEN OF ROGER SIMMONS

Double Pie Crust

 INGREDIENTS:

 

ITEM	QTY	MEASURE
Water (or skim milk)	5	Tablespoons
Butter (or lard, Crisco, margarine)	1/2	Cup
Salt	1/2	Teaspoon
Flour	1-1/2	Cups

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

1.  Mix flour and salt together.

 

2.  Cut in the fat.  There are several ways to do this.  The easiest is to mix this in a food processor with the steel knives after you have sliced the butter into pats and distributed it throughout the flour salt mix.  Alternatively you can use a pastry cutter.  Or if you have neither of these you can use two sharp knives working against each other.  At the end of the cutting in process the flour/fat mixture should have the consistency of corn meal. I do this with my hands.

 

3.  Add the liquid to the flour/fat mixture.  If mixing by hand make a well in the flour and add exactly the amount of liquid and mix well with a fork.  If using a food processor switch to the mixing knives (usually a blunter plastic set) and add the liquid and then pulse just enough to combine. A fork works just as well.

4.  Divide the amount of dough in half.  Shape each half into a disk and then refrigerate the dough, covered in plastic wrap for one to two hours until chilled and firm.  You can then:

 

            a.  Proceed to the appropriate recipe.

 

            b.  Freeze.

2-5 hours is best, that way you can get the dough literally paper-thin and it won't tear. It may crack around the edges as it gets dry, though, so don't leave it too long. I wrap them in plastic while I go out & run errands. The dough is good to nibble on, too.

 

SOURCE:  My mother gave me this recipe in the mid-80’s as the base for apple pie or a quiche.  I believe that this recipe came out of a Betty Crocker cookbook from the 1950’s.

Easy, right? Of course, now on to the pie part! Tasting is encouraged!

One 10’ double crust Apple Pie   Preparation Time: 30 minutes, 90 minutes overall

FROM THE KITCHEN OF ROGER SIMMONS

 Apple Pie

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

ITEM	QTY	MEASURE
Pie Crust (double)	1
Apples (Large) (Cored, peeled and sliced)	7 - 8
Salt	1	Dash
Flour	1	Tablespoon
Sugar	1	Cup
Cinnamon	1	Teaspoon
Nutmeg	¼	Teaspoon

 DIRECTIONS:

 

1.  Rinse apples and then peel, slice and core them into a large mixing bowl.  I traditionally use Cortland Apples for this recipe as they get soft but not totally mushy like Macintosh nor will they still be crunchy like a Granny Smith.  Feel free to experiment. My theory on this is the tart-to-sweet ratio/content. The more tart the apple, the more likely its chemistry will keep it stiff and crunchy, the more sweet the apple, the more likely the chemistry in it will turn it to sugary mush. I experienced the mushyness this year with the Braeburn (I think) apples we chose. It looks like Cortland are a New England-centric variety, so I encourage you to ask your grocer/local apple-picking stand how to get the perfect consistency. Of course, picking them yourself is always best, and fun outing while the dough is setting in the fridge. :)

 

2.  Remove one pie dough package from the refrigerator.  Using a well floured board, roller and hands roll out the pie dough to cover the well of a 10” pie plate with approximately 1” hanging over on all sides.  Set aside.

 

3.  Mix dry ingredients together and then dump over the apples.  Mix well with a large spoon.  Place the apple mix into the pie plan gently so as not to tear the pie dough.  Pile higher in the center.  Set aside. Taste this. Give everyone you know a taste. DO IT.

 

4.  Remove the other pie dough package from the refrigerator.  Using a well floured board, roller and hands roll out the pie dough to cover the pie plate and apples with approximately 1” hanging over on all sides.  Working carefully drape the pie dough over the pie plate and apples.

 

5.  Trim the pie dough even with the edge of the pie plate. Work around the edge of the pie plate pinching the edges together.  Cut several vents in the center of the pie crust.  Bake at 400 degree F for 50 minutes.  To prevent the juices from over flowing onto the bottom of the oven place a baking pan underneath the pie plate. My pinching technique still sucks. But if you manage to get a very thin crust by leaving your dough in 2-5 hours or longer, DO NOT leave your pie in for the 50 minutes, the crust will be too thin and it will BURN. Make sure that after 30 minutes you are checking the pie frequently.

 

SOURCE:  My mother gave me this recipe in the mid-80’s.  It is a plain and delicious recipe that has always been praised.  Using butter to make the crust gives it extra flavor.

And now you know how to make pie, have fun!
xoxoxo
~Kim