Pie. Pie. Pie.

Who doesn’t love pie? I do, especially a berry or apple pie; and during Thanksgiving, sweet potato or pecan. Homemade apple pie was one of my absolute favorites as a kid, especially if served with a scoop or two of homemade (that is hand cranked) vanilla ice cream.

Apple streusel pie and apple galette ready for the oven

Apple walnut streusel pie

A two crust pie is ideal, however, I’d never turn down cobbler, crisp, slump, slab, galette, streusel topped or pandowdy style deep dish treats. 

A homemade apple pie from Thanksgiving 2017

 My sisters blueberry pie, Thanksgiving 2016

Recently, I was given  a copy of The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock. I’ve made the warm apple crisp in that book using a combination of apples grown locally in Ohio. The recipe calls for it to be served with a rich custard sauce. I’m happy with ice cream or homemade whipped cream. 

Fresh cut local apples from Rittman Orchards of Doylestown, Ohio

Here’s my adaptation of the recipe:

Yields: One 9x9” baking dish to serve 8

9 large cooking apples (Granny Smith or Winesap)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon each ground cloves and nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon or orange

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Topping:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 

1 cup unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” size cubes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and core the apples; cut into 1/3” thick slices. Place into a large mixing bowl sprinkling with sugar, spices, salt and lemon/orange juice. Toss gently.

Grease a 9x9” baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter. 

Turn the apples into the baking dish which will be full. Apples will cook down during baking. Cut the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and dot top of apples.

For the topping. Place the sugars, flour, salt into a mixing bowl. Stir with a wire whisk to blend. 

Add the cold butter and moving quickly, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. 

Sprinkle the topping over the apples and bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes until apples bubble in the corners and the topping is crisp. Serve warm.