rustic apple pie
Happy Pi Day! This is one of my favorite days of the year because it's a good excuse to bake pie, eat pie, or [even more realistically] both.
When I think of making pie, there is only one that comes to mind. It's a rustic apple pie recipe that I developed many moons ago. I made this on many Father's Day occasions (because apple pie is my dad's favorite). I made it with a homemade caramel sauce for my DVC Intro to Speech class so we could snack while we listened to everyone's speeches. I made this for my dental hygiene classmates. I made this for my Anthropologie coworkers. I made this for my family and extended family. This is something has been enjoyed by many over the years and it truly is a gem. So, I'm officially bringing it out of the vault. I can't remember the last time this rustic apple pie has made an appearance, but it certainly feels long overdue.
The first time I made this pie, I was thinking I wanted to do something a little untraditional- no pie pans or blind-baking. The rustic aspect of this apple pie is my favorite part. Nothing about how you make it has to be perfect, because it's going to taste good regardless. The beauty of this pie is that you get apple and crust with every bite- something that is lacking in a traditional pie. I decided to go with a simple butter-marbled pastry dough that would hold up well but also be tender, buttery goodness. The apple mixture is also easy to throw together, but you can easily make your own variation with different fruit. You could even a go a savory route with this, because the dough itself isn't super sweet. The possibilities are endless.
Rustic Apple Pie
Yields one pie to the face
INGREDIENTS
3 medium Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and cut into roughly 1/2-inch slices)
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of kosher salt
Pâte Brisée (see recipe below)
1 egg, lightly beaten
sparkling sugar (optional, but recommended!)
DIRECTIONS
When I think of making pie, there is only one that comes to mind. It's a rustic apple pie recipe that I developed many moons ago. I made this on many Father's Day occasions (because apple pie is my dad's favorite). I made it with a homemade caramel sauce for my DVC Intro to Speech class so we could snack while we listened to everyone's speeches. I made this for my dental hygiene classmates. I made this for my Anthropologie coworkers. I made this for my family and extended family. This is something has been enjoyed by many over the years and it truly is a gem. So, I'm officially bringing it out of the vault. I can't remember the last time this rustic apple pie has made an appearance, but it certainly feels long overdue.
The first time I made this pie, I was thinking I wanted to do something a little untraditional- no pie pans or blind-baking. The rustic aspect of this apple pie is my favorite part. Nothing about how you make it has to be perfect, because it's going to taste good regardless. The beauty of this pie is that you get apple and crust with every bite- something that is lacking in a traditional pie. I decided to go with a simple butter-marbled pastry dough that would hold up well but also be tender, buttery goodness. The apple mixture is also easy to throw together, but you can easily make your own variation with different fruit. You could even a go a savory route with this, because the dough itself isn't super sweet. The possibilities are endless.
Rustic Apple Pie
Yields one pie to the face
INGREDIENTS
3 medium Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and cut into roughly 1/2-inch slices)
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of kosher salt
Pâte Brisée (see recipe below)
1 egg, lightly beaten
sparkling sugar (optional, but recommended!)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pull out the pâte brisée from the refrigerator.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, use a spoon to combine apple slices, sugars, flour, cinnamon, and pinch of kosher salt. Make sure the apples are evenly coated.
3. Lightly dust a large working surface and rolling pin with flour. Unwrap the pâte brisée onto the working surface.
4. Roll the pâte brisée out until about an even 1/4-inch thickness (or desired thickness).
5. Have a parchment-lined baking sheet ready. Use the rolling pin to transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet: Roll most of the dough onto the rollin pin. Then carefully lift it on top of the baking sheet. Unroll the dough from the rolling pin.
6. Once the dough is positioned onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the apple filling. Make sure all the apple is in there!
7. It doesn't matter where you start on the dough, but just begin folding it over the apples. I like a little bit of apple to still peak out. The exposed apple will also help with ventilation of the pie, so it has some room to breathe. Each time you fold it over, make sure to press the down in areas where dough is overlapping so that it sticks together while baking.
8. Make egg wash by beating one egg with a smash of water. Brush the crust with the egg wash. Then immediately sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
8. Make egg wash by beating one egg with a smash of water. Brush the crust with the egg wash. Then immediately sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
9. Bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is just golden brown.
10. Allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes until cutting and serving. (It's best to allow the filling to set up a bit.)
11. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Pâte Brisée
Recipe by Joanne Chang
Makes about 18 oz. of dough
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp white granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp cold milk
DIRECTIONS
1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt on stir speed for 10 to 15 seconds or until combined.
2. Scatter the butter over the top. Mix on stir speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or just until the flour is no longer bright white and holds together when you clump it and lumps of the butter the size of pecans are visible throughout.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk until blended. Add to the flour mixture all at once.
4. Mix on stir speed for about 30 seconds, or until the dough just barely comes together. It will look really shaggy and more like a mess than a dough.
5. Dump the dough out onto an unfloured work surface, then gather it together into a tight mound. Using your palm and starting on one side of the mound, smear the dough bit by bit, starting at the top of the mound and then sliding your palm down the side along the work surface, until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the dough comes together. Do this once or twice on each part of the dough, moving through the mound until the whole mess has been smeared into a cohesive dough with streaks of butter.
6. Gather up the dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and press down to flatten into a disc about 1-inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using. (** I did not wait 4 hours before using it. Maybe 1 hour, at most. You can use once it's firm and relatively cold.) The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
10. Allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes until cutting and serving. (It's best to allow the filling to set up a bit.)
11. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Pâte Brisée
Recipe by Joanne Chang
Makes about 18 oz. of dough
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp white granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp cold milk
DIRECTIONS
1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt on stir speed for 10 to 15 seconds or until combined.
2. Scatter the butter over the top. Mix on stir speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or just until the flour is no longer bright white and holds together when you clump it and lumps of the butter the size of pecans are visible throughout.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk until blended. Add to the flour mixture all at once.
4. Mix on stir speed for about 30 seconds, or until the dough just barely comes together. It will look really shaggy and more like a mess than a dough.
5. Dump the dough out onto an unfloured work surface, then gather it together into a tight mound. Using your palm and starting on one side of the mound, smear the dough bit by bit, starting at the top of the mound and then sliding your palm down the side along the work surface, until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the dough comes together. Do this once or twice on each part of the dough, moving through the mound until the whole mess has been smeared into a cohesive dough with streaks of butter.
6. Gather up the dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and press down to flatten into a disc about 1-inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using. (** I did not wait 4 hours before using it. Maybe 1 hour, at most. You can use once it's firm and relatively cold.) The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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