by Sandra Merville Hart

I decided to change my apple pie recipe because I wanted to cook the apples ahead of baking. I used parts of my old familiar recipe and changed others—just in time to share at our family Thanksgiving meal! It was risky but everyone liked it.

Apple Pie

5-6 tart apples such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into large slices (a generous 4 cups of apples)

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar + 1 teaspoon sugar, divided

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Prepared 2 crust pie dough

1 beaten egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the sliced apples. Gently toss the apples into the sugary mixture until they are well-coated.

Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When melted, add the apple mixture. Stir often as the apples cook. As the fruit cooks, it releases juices that thicken in the bottom of the pan. Cook until the apples begin to soften, about 10 – 12 minutes.

Pour the apple mixture into a bowl and allow to cool.

Place the bottom layer of pie dough into your pie plate and prick with a fork several times along the bottom and sides. (I bought prepared pie dough to save time.)

Pour cooled apples onto the prepared pie plate. Cover with the top layer of crust and fold it under the bottom layer. Using your thumbs, press the ends together to seal and to make a fluted edge.

Brush the top layer with the egg and sprinkle on about a teaspoon of sugar. Using a knife, make slits for the air to escape.

Bake 45- 50 minutes or until golden brown.

As I said, I took this to a family Thanksgiving meal and hoped for the best.

I needn’t have worried. The delicious pie was a hit. It was a little sweet, but not overly so. Six apples were the right amount of fruit. The filling was thick and didn’t spill out over the plate when slicing it.

Let me know if you try it.

Enjoy!