Buzz

Old Fashioned American Apple Pie

By Elaine Mellen

Posted on October 9, 2014

Fall is here, signaling apples and apple pies.

I love all types of apple pie, especially good old fashioned American Apple Pie.

I’ve added a little extra to this recipe; dried cranberries soaked over night in cognac.

Delicious.

Old Fashioned American Apple Pie

Pastry:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions:

Measure flour and salt into a bowl. Cut into the butter thoroughly with a pastry blender. Sprinkle in the water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the side of the bowl.

Gather the dough into a ball, then shape, and divide the dough in half, shaping into 2 flattened rounds. Chill dough for at least one hour.

On a lightly floured board, roll each dough round 2 inches larger in diameter than the inverted pie pan.

Place pastry on parchment or wax lined baking sheet, and chill.

Filling:

Ingredients:

9 medium size firm tart apples, thinly sliced (I used Granny Smith)

1/2 cup dried cranberries, soaked over night in cognac (I used Ocean Spray)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Put apple slices and raisins in mixing bowl, sprinkle with sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg and toss to mix well.

Place one pastry round in pie plate. Pour apple mixture into the pie crust and dot with butter.

Carefully cover the apples with top pastry, trim the overhang, and crimp the edges to seal.

Bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes, or until pastry is nicely browned and the juices in the center of the pie are bubbling. Let cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.