From Scratch

Sometimes even an 8″ pie is too much pie, so instead of going without or making a full-size pie and freezing half, why not use a single crust and fold it over on itself? Not only is it the perfect solution when less is more, it’s not quite as fattening; there’s little sugar in the filling and less filling per bite, since the apples are mostly in a layer, not a heap.

This fast and simple recipe doesn’t even need a pie plate. The pie is baked on a cookie sheet. That’s not the same as a baking sheet, even though many people use the terms interchangably. A baking sheet is rimmed; a cookie sheet is rimless. If all you have are baking sheets, just flip one over and use the flat side. Baking the pie on parchment paper makes moving it a breeze. Just slide paper and pie together onto a cooling rack or the kitchen counter.

Use any baking apple, one which will hold its shape through the cooking and baking of the filling. Good choices include Ginger Gold, Empire and Cortland and, of course, you never go wrong in baking when using Granny Smith. Avoid mushy Macintosh and its mutant, the Paula Red. The Paula was fine for the apple streusel cake I made recently, with slices uncooked and enveloped by batter, but it’s not suitable for pies. If you’re fortunate enough to find Northern Spies later this month, grab some. Northern Spy is the ideal apple for pies.

Foldover Apple Pie

Adapted from Pillsbury

dough for one single-crust 9 or 10″ pie (pate brisee)

2 small or 1 /12 medium baking apples, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup (4TB) brown sugar
1 TB water
1 TB lemon juice

1 TB flour
1 TB granulated sugar
1/4 tsp table salt

1 TB unsalted butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Wash:
1 egg
1 TB water
pinch of salt

Line a cookie sheet or the back of a baking sheet with parchment. Roll out the pie dough into a 10″ circle, trim away any ragged edges, transfer to the parchment and refrigerate. If you wish, roll it out on the parchment.

In a small bowl or ramekin, comine the flour, sugar and salt. Mix well and set aside.

Combine the apples, brown sugar, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until simmering. Gradually stir in the flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid comes to a boil and thickens. This can take several minutes. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 7- 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the apples are tender.

Remove from the heat. Add the butter and vanilla extract, stir until the butter is melted and set aside, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove the rolled-out crust from the fridge and let sit at room temperature during this time to become pliable.

Meanwhile, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees/190C /Gas 5.

Whisk together the egg, water and pinch of salt. Brush the egg wash around the full edge of the pie dough. Spoon the filling onto half of the pie dough, avoiding the egg wash. Fold the other half over the apples and press to seal.

Finish the edges by fluting or by using the tines of a fork for a decorative, flat edge. Brush on the egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle with sugar. Cut several small slits in the top.

Bake 22 - 35 minutes until golden. [This needed 24 minutes in my oven with the apples in a single layer and those cutouts in the crust ~ ella]

Slide the parchment with the pie onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Ella’s note: If you have a small cookie cutter and would rather use it than cutting slits into the pie, cut out the shapes soon after removing the dough from the fridge while the dough is still cold.

Related posts on From Scratch: Chill. And Other Pie Crust Tips

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