Maidas Big Apple Pie Recipes

APPLE AND CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack on the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-inch-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish.
• Cut the apple quarters into 3 wedges. Mix the apples, cheese, sugar, butter, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.
• Unroll one crust and place in the buttered pie dish. Brush the inside of the crust with some of the egg white to coat. Pour the apple filling into the crust. Unroll the second crust and place on top of the filling. Pinch the edge of the top crust and the edge of the bottom crust together to seal. Fold the double edge under and crimp, making a decorative edge. Brush the top of the pie with more of the egg white. Cut several slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake the pie until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through the slits, about 1 hour. Cover the edges of the pie with foil if the crust browns too quickly. Cool the pie for about 20 minutes before serving.

THE BIG APPLE PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water a tablespoon at a time until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Roll one ball out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place bottom crust in pie plate. Roll out top crust and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.)
• In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and cinnamon. Mix well and pour into pie shell. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until golden brown.

MILE-HIGH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Position an oven rack in the lower part of the oven and place a baking stone on it.
• Place the apples into a large mixing bowl, and toss with the lemon juice.
• Stir the potato starch, 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl.
• Roll out half of the pie crust pastry on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 10 inch pie plate. Pile half the apples into the crust, and dot with half the butter pieces. Sprinkle half of the potato starch-cinnamon sugar mixture over the apples. Pile the remaining apples into the pie plate. Sprinkle with the remaining butter pieces and sugar mixture. Roll out the remaining pie crust pastry, and place carefully over the apples. Pinch and crimp the edges to seal the crusts. Use a fork to poke holes in the top crust in a few places. Brush the top crust with milk, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Place the pie in the preheated oven on the baking stone. Immediately lower the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 60 minutes. Check half way through the baking time, and cover the edges with aluminum foil for the last 30 minutes if necessary to prevent over-browning. Cool 3 hours on a wire rack before serving.

BIG APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and core the apples, and cut them into slices. Place in a large bowl. Add sugar, apple cider or vinegar, cinnamon, salt, pepper and flour. Mix well.
• Line a deep-dish 9- or 10-inch metal pie pan with half the pastry, leaving a generous top edge. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with the tines of a fork. Transfer apples to pie tin, mounding slightly in center. Cut butter into bits, and distribute over apples.
• Cover apples with the other half of the pastry. Trim around edges, and pinch the top and bottom pastry together. Using a pastry brush, paint the top of the pastry with the egg wash. With a sharp knife make a small hole in the center of the pastry. Make five cuts, each about three-inches long, radiating from the center hole.
• Put the pie pan on a baking sheet, and bake on the lower level of the oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325, and bake for about 50 minutes longer, until the crust is deep golden brown. Remove to a rack, and cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, creme fraiche or ice cream.

MAIDA HEATTER'S FREE-FORM APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
• Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add water and toss with a fork until pastry holds together.
• Shape pastry into a ball and flatten into a disk.
• Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Melt butter in a 12" skillet over medium heat.
• Increase heat to high and add sugar and brandy.
• Stir in apples and cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring apples twice.
• Uncover and add raisins and cook apples, stirring until tender and liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes more.
• Cool apples completely.
• Stir in nuts.
• Heat oven to 425.
• Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 14 inch circle.
• Transfer pastry to a large cookie sheet.
• Arrange apples on pastry, leaving a 2 to 2 1/2 inch border around the edge.
• Fold edge of pastry over apples.
• The pie shell should be about 9 inches in diameter.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 400 and bake 30 minutes, until crust is golden brown.
• Melt preserves through a sieve into a cup.
• Drizzle over filling.
• Cool on cookie sheet.
• Transfer to serving platter when cool.

MILE-HIGH APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the smaller piece of pate brisee into a 15-inch round about 1/8-inch thick, dusting surface with flour to prevent sticking, as needed. Brush off excess flour. Roll dough around rolling pin, and place over a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate. Line plate with dough, pressing it into the corners. Trim dough to within 1 inch of the pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.
• Roll out remaining piece of dough into an 18-inch round. Transfer round to a baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
• Peel and core apples, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place slices in a large bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon; toss with apple slices.
• Remove remaining dough from refrigerator; place apple mixture into prepared pie plate, mounding it in a tall pile. Dot filling with butter. Place dough round over the apples. Tuck edge of top dough between edge of bottom dough and rim of pan. Using your fingers, gently press both layers of dough along the edge to seal, and crimp as desired.
• Using a paring knife, cut several vents in top of dough to allow steam to escape. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk with 2 tablespoons water to make a glaze. Brush surface with egg glaze; sprinkle with sugar. Place on a baking sheet, this will catch any juices that may overflow during baking. Bake until crust is golden, about 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool completely before serving.

GRANDMA'S APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim crust even with edge of plate. Set aside. , In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Arrange half of the apples in pastry shell; sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture. Repeat layers. Dot with butter. , Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in pastry. Brush with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar. , Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Serve warm if desired or cool on a wire rack.