It's Pie Time!

This time of year,

I start craving apple pie.



One day last week my neighbor

generously gave me some apples.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them!

APPLE PIE EN PAPILLOTE

2 1/2 lb. tart cooking apples, cored, peeled, cut into chunks (about 8 c.)

2 T. lemon juice

In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice.

In a small bowl combine

1/2 c. sugar,

2 T. flour,

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

dash ground nutmeg

Sprinkle over apples and toss until well coated.

Set aside while preparing pastry.

Now, I'm a bit of a slacker and I cheat with the crust.

I use the refrigerated kind.

But if you're a purist,

here is the PASTRY recipe:

1 1/3 c. unsifted all purpose flour

1/2 t. salt

1/3 c. plus 1 T. shortening

5 to 6 T. iced water

In a medium bowl combine flour and salt.

With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until

mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Gradually add water and stir with fork

until flour is moistened and pastry leaves the side of the bowl.

With hands shape pastry into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface,

roll pastry into a 12-inch circle.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry.

Make a high fluted edge to hold in the apple juices.

If you're using the refrigerated crust,

roll it out a bit larger than your pie plate

and continue as with the homemade pastry.

Spoon apples into pastry.

TOPPING:

In a small bowl combine

1/2 c. unsifted all purpose flour

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed

Here's a tip to keep your brown sugar moist and soft--

keep a leaf of lettuce in your air tight container.

Change out the leaf each time you use the sugar.

Stir the topping ingredients until it's a smooth paste.

Gently dollop over apples,

then spread topping...

...to cover.

Place pie in a large brown paper bag

(i.e. "en papillote")

and close the open end with staples or paper clips.

(Or wrap pie in a large piece  of parchment paper.)

Place on oven rack in center of oven

(make sure the bag does not touch

bottom, sides or top of oven).

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven

for 1 hour and 10 minutes (metal pan)

1 hour and 20 minutes (glass pan)

Remove pie from oven but do not open bag.

Let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Carefully cut bag open and remove pie.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Will someone please get the ice cream?

This week you'll find me linking with

Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades of Green

Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollom