Episode 7 – Apple pie

Taking a break from the main course, in this episode Elisabeth and I make some pie.  With the possible exception of the sweet fried chicken recipe, I was more excited to taste the end result with this recipe than any other.  Elisabeth was schooling me in this episode from start to finish as I have never made a pie.  I have watched my mother make many delicious pies of endless variety but it always seemed like too much trouble to try myself (plus my mother lives a few miles away so there is always a pie opportunity should I need one).

Elisabeth, on the other hand, apparently took a bit more initiative growing up and actually paid attention to her mother’s recipe.  In my first pie making experience, Elisabeth walks me though the fundamentals of a good pie.  With apples in hand, Elisabeth helped walk me though my very first preparation of apple pie.

Ingredients for crust (you will need two crusts):

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup shortening
• Pinch of salt
• 5 Tbsp cold water

Ingredients for filling:

• Apples – amount will vary depending on type and size
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Tbsp flour
• Pinch salt
• Pinch cinnamon
• Tbsp butter broken up

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F. This crust recipe is for one crust. To make a pie with a crust top, you will have to make two. Do not make them at the same time. For one crust, mix flour, shortening, and salt with spoon. Add water and mix it in with a fork.

Put some flour on waxed paper and knead dough with hands. Roll out dough with rolling pin. Place dough in pie tin. Now is the time to make the second crust.

Peel and slice apples. Place in pie tin, mixing with flour and making sure that the mound is higher than the level of the tin. Sprinkle salt, cinnamon and sugar on top. Cut up butter and sprinkle that on top.

Place second crust on top of apples, pinching in at edges. Trim away excess crust. Cut air holes into top.

Bake pie at 450 F for 10 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes.