RECIPE: RUSTIC APPLE PIE WITH EASY TO MAKE PIE CRUST

Note: I have made this recipe without referencing it for so long, I needed to change the online version so it matches with my current method. I added a bit more flour and reduced the oven by 5 degrees. The rest is the same.

This may be my favorite recipe! You can’t believe how fast and easy you can make a pie! My mom made a pie every single day- most were fruit pies and I always marveled at how fast she could make one. I have used just about everything inside of this pie crust but just make sure the dough is well chilled and the filling is not too juicy or it won’t hold together. The egg wash will act as a glue to keep it sealed. The glaze, if you decide to use one, will make it look like it came from a bakery but it is flakier without it.

To the left is an apple pie I made in minutes. On the right is the same crust, with local Chilton County peaches and blackberries and blueberries from my yard. Note: If you use frozen fruit for the filling, be sure to up the flour a bit so the filling is not too juicy to hold.

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You can use this homemade pie crust to make almost any kind of pie, tart, pot pie, or crostata. Leave out the sugar for a savory pie The dough can hold up to a week in the refrigerator before you roll it out. You can make ahead and freeze it, also.

RUSTIC APPLE PIE

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour chill time for the dough

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 3 tablespoons and more for dusting to roll out the dough

2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar plus 1/2 tablespoon to sprinkle on crust

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced into cubes

3 tablespoons ice water plus 1 to 1½ more depending on how dough comes together

Filling

11/2 pounds apples (3 large semi-tart apples work best)

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (juice of a whole lemon, essentially)

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, diced into small pieces

Egg Wash (optional)

1 egg, well beaten

Glaze (optional)

½ cup Orange Marmalade, Apricot Preserves, or Apple Jelly

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stretch a large piece of plastic wrap out on the counter and dust with flour, about 1 tablespoon.

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine the dry ingredients. Add the cold cubed butter, a little at a time, pulsing between additions until the butter is the size of peas. Repeat until all the butter is in the bowl but pulse as little as possible. You want to see flecks of butter in the dough.

Next, with the motor running, add the ice water a tablespoon at a time through the feed tube-stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto the well-floured plastic wrap. Handle as little as possible. Form into a round (or whatever shape you want to roll out for the pie.) Don’t over handle or knead or the butter will melt. Fold the plastic around the disc. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When you are ready to make the crostata, remove the disc from the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the counter for at least 5 minutes before you begin.

To roll out: Unfold the plastic Flour a rolling pin and put a little flour around the plastic and on both sides of the dough; roll the pastry into an 11-13” circle on the plastic wrap. Add flour as you need to so the dough does not stick. Wrap it over the rolling pin and transfer it to a baking sheet. Remove the plastic wrap.

For the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples. I like the look of slices- I usually slice my apples like this: cut 4 pieces, cutting around the core. Then slice those into half moon shapes. You can leave the peel on if you like but I usually don’t because you need the apples to look perfect if the peel is on. Put the apple into a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Next, add the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Add the cold butter. Mix all of the ingredients together until the apples are well coated. Turn the apples out onto the crust, leaving a 1 1/2 to 2 inch border all the way around.  Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle. Finish with the egg wash to seal the folds and sprinkle with granulated sugar over the top and crust before baking.

Bake the crostata for 20-23 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned and the apples are tender. (Note: If you are not using the glaze, bake for another 5-7 minutes or until golden brown)

For the glaze: Microwave the preserves in a heatproof container for 10 seconds. Careful! It will bubble and be HOT! Remove the crostata from the oven. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the filling and the crust with the melted preserves. Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes or until the pie is golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly- at least 10 minutes before cutting. Add caramel sauce or a scoop of ice cream and it is even better! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have. xox

RECIPE: HAM AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY

Ham Delights, one of my all-time favorite party appetizers just got a little easier and possibly even yummier! I cannot always find the party rolls that I use for that recipe and that happened to me tonight. I already had everything else in the cart so thought about what I could use instead of the party rolls... and it hit me. Puff pastry. 

The new version turned out even more delicious!

Follow the instructions on the box for thawing the puff pastry. The best way is to let it thaw in the fridge overnight but if you are like me and did not plan that far in advance, you can thaw it on the counter- it doesn't take long and you don't want it to thaw completely or it will be difficult to handle.

Use deli ham and cheese or leftover ham to make this guest-worthy delight: ham and cheese made fancy!

HAM AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY

INGREDIENTS

1 box puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

2 shallots, minced

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

6 slices deli ham, sliced thin (like you would for sandwiches)

6 slices Swiss cheese, shredded

a little all-purpose flour for rolling out the puff pastry

1 egg, beaten with a little water for egg wash

DIRECTIONS

Set the oven to 425. Line a half sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Make the spread: mix the shallots, mustard, salt, pepper, and butter together. Set aside.

Dust the counter with a little flour to keep the dough from sticking. Also lightly dust your rolling pin. Carefully roll over the puff pastry- just enough to smooth it out.- make just one pass over the dough. Move to the pan. Spread half of the Dijon mixture on the puff pastry- leave a one inch border all around the edge. Put a layer of ham over the mixture and repeat with the cheese. A thin layer will make it easier to slice. Spread the remaining mixture on the top. Brush the edge with the egg wash.

Roll out the second puff pastry using the same technique as the first one. Line up the bottom and the top. Use a fork to lightly press the edges together. Brush the top with egg wash. Cut 3 slits in the top of the pastry.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Slice into squares- larger if you want to serve with a fork and smaller if you want guests to just pick up and eat them. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before you cut it. Actually, it's better if you wait a little longer- if you can!

SOUP SEASON: LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

What if you could have all of the delicious elements of a loaded baked potato in a bowl?

My Loaded Baked Potato Soup is not only easy, it’s a winner on game day for party hosts and guests alike. Serve the soup in mugs with a half a sandwich or some grilled toast. You can substitute reduced fat milk, cheese, and/or sour cream to trim calories and fat. If you do, would still add a tablespoon of butter and maybe a splash of heavy cream at the end just to give it a nicer feel and finish.

LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

Prep time: 10 minutes     Cook time: 15-20 minutes

6-8 large red potatoes, peeled and diced

4 slices bacon, diced

1 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup yellow or white onion, diced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups milk, divided

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded  

4 teaspoons scallion, white and green tops, sliced thin

Directions:

Peel and dice potatoes. Put in a pot and cover by one inch with cool water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until fork tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until done and crispy. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Discard all but 2 teaspoons of the drippings from the bacon. Over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in the drippings until translucent. Reduce the heat slightly. Add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. You don’t want to brown the flour, you simply want to cook the raw flavor from it.

Using a whisk, add the broth to the flour, a little at a time, whisking to incorporate each addition so no lumps form. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching as the mixture thickens. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat; add salt and pepper.

When the potatoes are done, strain, reserving some of the cooking liquid to thin the soup if necessary. Add the hot potatoes to the soup. Use a fork or potato masher and mash the potatoes into the soup, leaving some texture and larger pieces of potato. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid or a bit more chicken broth if the soup is too thick. Stir in the sour cream and butter. Top with grated cheese, bacon, and scallions. Adjust seasoning if necessary, adding salt and pepper to taste.