My copy of Joy of Cooking has lived with me as a newlywed, new mother, widow, and through a move from the San Francisco Peninsula to Bozeman, Montana, where I became a bride a second time. It was just yesterday that I actually read the epigraph and introduction of this book:
“Joy’s soul lies in the doing.” —William Shakespeare
Cooking has always been my way to stop the busy world and create a sense of calm for myself. I like that it demands focus and uses my senses. It connects me to nature and to people, those in my kitchen, those I’ve met in other kitchens, and those with whom I’ve only shared words.
I gathered the apples for this pie (and a couple batches of apple sauce) with my family this fall.
For the pie crust, use this recipe.
Apple Pie
adapted from Joy of Cooking, 1997
Ingredients
Dough for a 2-crust pie (see Amy's Perfect Pie Crust on RIPE)
Apple Pie Filling:
- 2½ pounds apples
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
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Peel, core, and slice the apples about ¼-inch thick. Put them in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice.
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Preheat oven to 425° F.
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Sprinkle the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt over the apples. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring several times. Pour into the bottom crust and dot the top with butter. Cover with top crust and crimp the edge. Cut a few steam vents in the top crust with a sharp knife.
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Mix together the sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle over the pie.
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Put the pie in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Slip a sheet pan beneath it to catch any drips, lower heat to 350° F and bake for an additional 30–45 minutes or until thick juices have started to bubble up through the vents and the fruit feels just tender when you poke a toothpick or knife through a steam vent to check.
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Remove pie from oven and let cool on a rack 3–4 hours, if you can stand the wait. (The filling thickens up completely during this time.)
