Maidas Big Apple Pie Recipes

THE BIG APPLE PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water a tablespoon at a time until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Roll one ball out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place bottom crust in pie plate. Roll out top crust and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.)
• In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and cinnamon. Mix well and pour into pie shell. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until golden brown.

BIG APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and core the apples, and cut them into slices. Place in a large bowl. Add sugar, apple cider or vinegar, cinnamon, salt, pepper and flour. Mix well.
• Line a deep-dish 9- or 10-inch metal pie pan with half the pastry, leaving a generous top edge. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with the tines of a fork. Transfer apples to pie tin, mounding slightly in center. Cut butter into bits, and distribute over apples.
• Cover apples with the other half of the pastry. Trim around edges, and pinch the top and bottom pastry together. Using a pastry brush, paint the top of the pastry with the egg wash. With a sharp knife make a small hole in the center of the pastry. Make five cuts, each about three-inches long, radiating from the center hole.
• Put the pie pan on a baking sheet, and bake on the lower level of the oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325, and bake for about 50 minutes longer, until the crust is deep golden brown. Remove to a rack, and cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, creme fraiche or ice cream.

MAIDA HEATTER'S FREE-FORM APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
• Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add water and toss with a fork until pastry holds together.
• Shape pastry into a ball and flatten into a disk.
• Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Melt butter in a 12" skillet over medium heat.
• Increase heat to high and add sugar and brandy.
• Stir in apples and cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring apples twice.
• Uncover and add raisins and cook apples, stirring until tender and liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes more.
• Cool apples completely.
• Stir in nuts.
• Heat oven to 425.
• Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 14 inch circle.
• Transfer pastry to a large cookie sheet.
• Arrange apples on pastry, leaving a 2 to 2 1/2 inch border around the edge.
• Fold edge of pastry over apples.
• The pie shell should be about 9 inches in diameter.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 400 and bake 30 minutes, until crust is golden brown.
• Melt preserves through a sieve into a cup.
• Drizzle over filling.
• Cool on cookie sheet.
• Transfer to serving platter when cool.

MAIDA'S BIG APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the filling, melt the butter in a large pan with a cover. Add apples and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon. Cover pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until apples have exuded juices. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender. About a third will have disintegrated, and the rest of the apple slices should remain intact. Cool the filling. May be made several days in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.
• To form the pie, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set a rack in the lowest level. Roll dough to about a 16-inch diameter and center on pan. Spoon filling into center of disk of dough and fold overhanging dough in toward center of pie. Brush the top of the folded-over dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sugar.
• Bake the pie about 40 minutes, until the dough is a deep golden color and the filling is bubbling. Cool slightly before serving. Or cool completely and reheat before serving

MOM'S APPLE PIE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (225 degrees C). Fit bottom crust into a 9 inch pie plate.
• In a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Place sliced apples in a large bowl and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Toss until apples are thoroughly coated. Spoon apples into pan.
• Dot apples with butter or margarine, then sprinkle with whiskey. Cover with top crust. Seal edges and cut steam vents in top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake an additional 40 minutes. Serve warm.