Apple Pie and Applesauce

The other weekend, I ended up making a cherry pie (photos will come later) and an apple pie. I had a go-to pie crust recipe for years, but it stopped working as well as I liked it. So, I decided to try a new one and loved it—recipe is below.

I did, however, stick with my tried and true apple pie recipe—something I have sort of become known for in my family. I usually serve the pie warm with vanilla ice cream. 

Ingredients – PIE CRUST

3 cups all-purpose flour

 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

 3 tablespoons white sugar

 1 cup shortening

 1 egg

 1 teaspoon of either vanilla or almond extract (depending upon the type of pie you are making)

 5 tablespoons water

Directions – PIE CRUST

1.       In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Mix well, then cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.

2.       In a small bowl, combine egg, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons of water. Whisk together, then add gradually to flour mixture, stirring with a fork. Mix until dough forms a ball. Add one more tablespoon of water if necessary.

3.       Allow dough to rest in refrigerator 10 minutes before rolling out.

4.       When rolling out, roll out on parchment paper—it makes transferring the crust so much easier. 

IngredientS – APPLE PIE

 1/2 cup unsalted butter

 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

 10 apples – peeled, cored and sliced

DIRECTIONS – APPLE PIE

1.       Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

2.       Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.

3.       Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

I had a ton of apples, so with the apples that did not end up in the pie, I baked them with cinnamon and a touch of sugar, pureed them and made applesauce for Alex’s lunches.