Pie is really one of the most basic and widely-excepted options. I mean, let's be honest, there aren't a lot of adults that really go ga-ga over a bowl of applesauce. And there's only so much of it that me and my kid can eat.
So, it was time to buck-up and own the pie situation.
I pulled out my references and asked a friend for her pie filling recipe. She handed over one of the most de-lish apple pies during a recent Holiday season, and I knew that whatever directions she was following would be the best place to start.
- 1/2 cup sugar and 1tsp cinnamon mixed together and poured over the apples...
- and then to make the topping its 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup flour and 1/3 cup butter mixed with a pastry blender til it resembles a course meal and sprinkle over apples...
- bake at 400 for 40-50 min
I was in a rush. I had a car situation that delayed the start of my baking-fest and I had evening party plans. My RSVP to this event included some sort of apple-based yummy-goodness. So, my arrival without said yummy-goodness was not an option.
Being in a rush means that I didn't do a good job measuring. Be warned: if you want to repeat this...you've got to grin, bear it and be adventurous with your measuring.
I used a 9in frozen pie crust purchased from Walmart. I peeled and chopped enough apples to fill the pie shell with a heap o' apples. When I had a good mound, I poured them from the shell to a bowl. I added the sugar (ok, I did measure that...1/2 cup as stated above) and a enthusiastic poof of cinnamon. I stirred until the apples were brown with spice and then added them back into the shell.
The crust was prepped with the help of my Kitchen Aid.
I added approximately 1/2 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of flour (as stated above). There was another enthusiastic poof of cinnamon and a big fat pad of unsalted butter. It seemed a little dry, so I added a sprinkle of Half n Half. It was a soft "course meal" as my friend describes above. I figured it being a little soft wasn't going to hurt anything.
And I didn't really sprinkle it on top...I dumped it - as best I could. The apples were heaping over the shell already. So, it was more of a dump...which was then strategically placed. I knew the apples would cook down, having had the experience of already making them into sauce; so I knew that the filling would most not likely be heaping after it was done.
I placed the pie onto a cookie sheet, I didn't want overflowing sugary-apple juices to drip onto my oven surface. Cleaning that goo would be torture. (By the way, that idea was inspired by the gods, because there was definitely a decent amount of dripping and cookie sheets are A LOT easier to clean...just let 'em soak for about 10 mins and you're golden).
And, so, 45mins later, I had a brown, crispy topped Cinnamon Apple Pie out of the oven and packed ready for transport. The heap most certainly leveled out.
The reviews were favorable. I sighed with relief. I thought it was pretty tasty as well.
And, thank goodness, because there are more apples still....and pie will happen again. Soon.
