Apple Crumb Pie

A number of years back when we lived where one can pick fresh apples from an orchard throughout the fall, some friends came for a visit so we introduced them to apple picking at one of our favorite family-friendly orchards.  Once we were home with many tasty apples, my good friend J and I set right to work in an effort to make the perfect pie!

After searching through the many available recipes before us, we decided that the best pie would come from a hybrid recipe.  We took what we liked from a number of recipes and came up with what is now the favorite apple pie recipe for both J's family and ours!  This is the recipe I used for our Thanksgiving '09 apple pie and here it is now, hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Apple Crumb Pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Pie Crust:

1 1/4 C all purpose flour

1/4 TSP salt

1/3 C shortening (regular or butter flavored)

4-5 TBS cold water

1. Sift together flour and salt.  Using a pastry blender cut in shortening until all pieces are pea-size.

2. Sprinkle 1 TBS water over small portion of mixture.  Gently toss moistened mixture with fork.  Push  moistened dough to side of bowl.  Repeat moistening of dough 1 TBS of water at a time until all dough is moistened.  Form dough into a ball.

3. On lightly floured surface, use hands to slightly flatten dough.  Using rolling pin, roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.

4. To transfer pastry, carefully wrap it around the rolling pin.  Unroll pastry into 9 inch pie plate--be careful not to stretch or tear the pastry.  Trim to fit the pie plate and crimp edges if desired.

Apple filling:

1 C sugar

1/3 C flour

1 TSP ground nutmeg

1 TSP ground cinnamon

A dash of salt

6 C thinly sliced apples (our favorite to use: Cortland Apples)

3 TBS butter

Stir together sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.  Mix in apples.  Dot pie crust with butter.  Put apple mixture into pie crust. 

Crumb Topping:

1/2 C all purpose flour

1/2 C firmly packed light brown sugar

1 TSP ground cinnamon

1/2 TSP ground nutmeg

1/4 C (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

In a small bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Using a fork stir in butter until coarse crumbs form.  Sprinkle topping evenly over pie filling.

Cover edges of pie with 2-3 inches of foil (cut a circle out of the middle of the foil to leave the center of the pie exposed.)  Bake for 35-40 mins.  Remove foil from pie during last 15 mins.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!