Description
A deep-dish, one-crust simple apple pie.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups (313 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 grams) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup cold buttermilk plus 2 to 3 tablespoons more if your dough is dry
For the Filling:
- Butter for greasing the baking dish
- 6 to 8 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Calvados or bourbon (optional)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 cubes
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Coarse sugar, brown sugar, or turbinado sugar for sprinkling before baking
To Serve:
- Soft whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- To make the crust, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and, using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture. Quickly break the butter down into the flour mixture, some butter pieces will be the size of oat flakes, some will be the size of peas. Stir in grated cheddar cheese.
- Create a well in the butter and flour mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Use a fork to bring to dough together. Try to moisten all of the flour bits. On a lightly floured work surface, dump out the dough mixture. It will be moist and shaggy. That’s perfect. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling out. If refrigerating the dough overnight, allow the crust to rest on the counter for 5 minutes before rolling.
- While the crust chills, bring together the filling. In a large mixing bowl stir together apple pieces, sugar, salt, spices, vinegar or lemon, Calvados or bourbon (if using), and flour. Mix until everything is evenly distributed. The mixture will look a bit sandy.
- Pour the apples into a lightly buttered baking dish. Top with tablespoon of butter.
- On a lightly floured counter roll out the pie crust to 1/4-inch thickness, so that the pie crust is at least 1-inch wider than the baking dish. Cut crust into 2 to 3 inch strips. Layer strips on the diagonal, overlapping just a bit, and do you best to tuck the pie crust edges into the dish. Refrigerate the pie.
- Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Just before baking, brush the pie crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 20 minutes then reduce oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the pie for 30 -35 minutes, until the crust is golden and the juices are bubbling up the sides. Remove pie from the oven and allow to cool to almost room temperature before serving.
- Spoon into bowls and serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days.
