Old Fashioned Apple Pie ~

It was Pru's turn to decide on what we were going to make this week for Martha Mondays, she wanted us all to throw the seasons out the window and chose Martha Stewart's Old Fashioned Apple Pie. Now this was a little difficult for me because my mom makes the best apple pie, and I learned from her, and she learned from my dad's mom. So it's kinda in the family, and being from Michigan the apple selection is tops. Which is a big challenge living in Florida. My mom likes to use Spies apples, I think my grandma liked Ida Reds, we can't find either one down here. I was lucky though Martha's recipe calls for Granny Smiths, which we can find, but apples are a little pricey here this time of year, at least compared to Michigan. I used half Granny Smith and half Gala.

I gathered all the stuff I would need and set up a little area in my tiny kitchen, and got to work. It was a beautiful day here with it getting up to 87 F, so it was hard to stay inside with the oven on. That's okay, it's warm in the autumn here as well.

I want you all to know I went pretty much by the recipe...surprise...surprise! I made her dough recipe too and used the food processor, first time making dough that way. I must say it sure made it easy, but I think I like my mom's better...I don't know what it is, just a better texture. It called for an egg wash too which is another first...I don't think it turned out the way it was supposed to. I also sprinkled some sugar on top and it just seemed to melt in. I should of use some sanding sugar I guess. I think next time I'll skip the egg wash.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie (Martha Stewart's)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting Pâte Brisée (Pie Dough)

Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)*

12 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

3/4 cup sugar, plus additional for pie top

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large egg, beaten

Directions:

1.Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee into two 1/8-inch-thick circles to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch plate. Press one pastry circle into the pie plate. Place the other circle on waxed paper, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill all pastry until firm, about 30 minutes.

2.In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and flour. Toss well. Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter, and cover with remaining pastry circle. Cut several steam vents across top. Seal by crimping edges as desired. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional sugar.

3.Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack before serving.

*Pâte Brisée (Pie Dough)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter chilled and cut into small pieces

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions:

1.In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

2.With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

3.Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month

It rolled out easy enough, I don't think I needed the rolling pin cover (it was something my mom always had on her rolling pin)

I had to get out a bigger pie pan than I usually use for my quiche...

...and I still couldn't fit all 12 apples...

I couldn't find my cute little cutters that I use for my bento boxes. I was going to cut a tiny flower in the middle. We are doing a lot of spring cleaning around here.

I had some extra dough too. My mom would always sprinkle cinnamon, sugar and butter and roll it up...slice it and bake. It was such a treat for us kids the little cinnamon crust rolls...brings back memories. I was going to let Maranda do that, but I had some apples left too, so I tossed them on the leftover crust with cinnamon, sugar and butter...

...and folded the dough up and over, and baked it on an 8" stone right along side the pie.

While it all was in the oven baking, I went outside to help Wade trim the cactus tree...before you know it it can take over. It can grow from one cactus pad dropping on the ground and it takes root!

These innocent blossoms give you those invisible tiny stickers that hurt like crazy and you can't really see them to get them out. All you have to do is rub across your skin and you can feel them.

Mmmm ...smells good fresh out of the oven...

Just not happy about the egg wash on top...oh well...

It was a little juicy...I don't know why because it had flour in it, maybe it's the lemon juice. I also used half Granny Smith apples and half Gala apples, maybe that was it. What ever the reason it didn't really matter because it still tasted good!

To see some other participants of Martha Mondays visit:

Martha and Me

Perfecting Pru

Sassy Suppers

To join us, be sure to let Brette from Martha and Me, she's really nice and there is no pressure to do it every week, just have fun!