Single Crust Spicy Apple Pie

Hi all,

I'm still working through all the apples that I got from the CSA. I've made apple sauce, which AI, so graciously helped eat. I've made three apple pies and put apples in all sorts of recipes. I think I have only about a dozen left. Maybe I'll make one more apple pie?

I like this recipe because you only need a bottom crust. I've been using the frozen pie crust from Trader Joe's which I like a lot. It's made with butter and the results are almost identical to homemade and of course using a prepared crust is much easier.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1 prepared pie crust (If frozen, thaw on counter for 1.5 hours or thaw overnight in fridge.)

Line a 9 inch deep pie plate with pie crust. Make a decorative edge, by pinching it between your fingers or using the tines of a fork. Place in freezer for at least 10 minutes, while you prepare the fruit.

7 large or 9 medium cooking apples, about 3 pounds total (I think I got mostly eating apples from the CSA, so I used those. Granny Smiths are nice because of their firm flesh and tart taste.)

Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples and place them in a large bowl.

1 lemon, squeezed and peel grated

Add the lemon juice and grated peel to the apples. Mix.

1/3 cup light brown sugar (since the apples were sweet I only used 1/3 cup, for tarter apples you could increase the sugar to 2/3 cup.)
2 tablespoons AP flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix the sugar, flour and spices together and mix into the apples. Pour into the chilled pie crust. Then prepare the topping.

1/3 cup AP flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter

With a pastry blender, two knives, or your finger mix the crumb topping together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the apples, pressing down slightly. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven down to 350, bake about 20 minutes longer or until the filling is bubbling around the edges.

There it is, apple pie! We had a Canadian friend who loved eating apple pie with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on top. The pie is also good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum. Well I hope there's an apple pie in the near future for you. Happy pie making.

Hugs,
Mameekosan