Page 373 - Pie Squared

Take the bottom crust out of the refrigerator. Pile the filling into the
center and gently tap the apples to fit. The filling will be about 1½ to

2 inches deep. Scatter the butter over the top of the filling. With
scissors, trim the crust to about ½ inch over the edge of the pan.
Tuck the bottom crust edge up and over the top crust, and fork
crimp. Chill for 20 minutes.

Brush the surface of the pie with the cream and dust liberally with
the sparkling sugar. Slash one or two vents and slide the pan into the
hot oven (on top of the steel, stone, or baking sheet if using). Bake
for 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is

deeply browned. If the crust gets too dark, tent the pie with foil.
Cool for 10 minutes or more before slicing and serving. Top with
cinnamon or caramel ice cream.

SELECTING APPLES FOR PIE

In autumn, I hover over the baskets of apples at the farmers’
market or roadside stand, choosing one from here and one from
there. I read the cards, talk to the grower, and lean toward the
ones with exquisite names. Newtown Pippin, anyone? But when

I want to make an apple pie at the drop of a hat, I mix and match
different grocery store varieties, remembering Granny Smith is
sturdy and tart, Pink Lady is bright and crisp, Braeburn is winey

and firm, Gala is sweet, Fuji is floral. Macintosh is saucy. You
can’t go wrong with any of them, but a combination adds
complexity to a pie.

Techniques: All Butter Crust (here), Mixing and Rolling Out (here),
Crimp and Slash (here)

Swaps:

Try a Cream Cheese (here) or Cheddar Cheese Crust (here).