Friday Pie-Day: Perfect Apple Pie

Well, this is where it all began. Aunt Betty had been making this classic pie for us most of our lives, and one day she finally decided we were ready to make it ourselves.

That one day was June 16, 2007. She invited my sister and me over to her house, provided the ingredients, and had us copy down the recipe as we went along. This was the first pie we ever made, the pie that started it all. And we have made this pie over and over again for special occasions and just because.

summer 2007 ~ first pie ever!

It was the perfect recipe for beginners, because although (or perhaps because) it’s a classic, it really is not that difficult.

Begin by slicing up lots of apples! Aunt Betty recommended Jonathan apples. There are several methods for this – you can peel the entire apple in one long ribbon and then slice it thinly (like Aunt Betty does!), or if you do not feel ready to do that (like me) just quarter the apple and peel the quarters before slicing it even thinner.

Over the apples, sprinkle lots of spices (sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg), and then stir it all together!

Aunt Betty also gave us a recipe for a pie crust, which you can find here. But yeah, that’s the entire recipe. So easy! Just fill the pie crust…

…then cover with the top crust, seal the edges, and “vent” the top (just slice a few decorative holes in the top – we make ours in the shape of a star).

 

Pop it in the oven, monitoring the edges. You might want to cover them with foil to prevent them from burning. (We actually have a pie crust shield, which certainly comes in handy with all the pies we make!)

And then dig in and enjoy! Mmmm, tastes like fall, but you can easily enjoy this all-American treat any time of the year!

Aunt Betty’s Perfect Apple Pie

6-8 tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

¾ cup sugar

2 T. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

pastry for double-crust

1. Combine sugar, flour, spices, and salt. Coat apples with spice mixture.
2. Pour filling into pie crust and cover with top crust, sealing and venting.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.