Everyone deserves
a well-earned break now and then and if you’re the type of person
who would like to combine a trip abroad with a delicious cooking experience,
this is the prize for you!
This
is one of the recipes that has been provided
by Shirley Cline from San Fransisco. (You can
contact Shirley by emailing her - click here).
"Mom
has been making this pie since 1934 when she
got married and is still making it (we just
finished one last week). It rates 'Number 1'
with us".
Ingredients
Crust
(makes a double 9 inch):
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Sift the flour and salt together
Filling
(for a 9 inch pie):
8 - 10 tart apples
(she uses gravenstein but if you can’t
get them, use Granny Smith - she uses 10 -
12 good size apples and piles them real high
because they shrink down when baked)
2 Tblsp. flour
3/4 - 1 cup sugar (she uses 1 cup)
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 Tblsp. chilled butter
1 Tblsp. lemon juice
Method
Crust:
Sift
the flour and salt together. Cut in 1/2 cup
CRISCO shortening with two knives or pastry
blender until the mixture starts to crumble
and is the size of small peas.
Add
4 - 5 Tblsp. of water, 1 tablespoon at a time,
mixing and pressing the ingredients together
with a fork until the dough is just moist
enough to hold together.
Form
it into 2 balls. Chilling the dough makes
it much easier to handle.
Remember
to keep the board and the rolling pin floured,
(not too much), just enough so the dough doesn’t
stick to the board or rolling pin. Roll into
the shape of the pie pan or pie plate. DO
NOT OVER HANDLE the dough.
Filling:
Pare
the apples and slice them thin (try to make
sure they are the same size if possible) and
put into a large bowl.
Add
flour mixed with the sugar, salt, spices and
lemon juice.
Fill
pastry lined pie pan with the filling, dot
with pieces of butter and then adjust the
top crust over the apples and flute the edges
together.
Take
a basting brush and brush some milk over the
top (this is her secret to make the crust
nice and brown).
Poke
top with a fork to make some air holes.
Bake
in hot oven 450º for 10 minutes. Then,
turn down to 350º for about 30 more minutes.
Ovens vary so you have to check after 25 minutes.
