apple pie

Tis the season for apples! Being from Texas, I had no idea the effect of apple season on the East Coast.

Wow.

I didn’t know that even the citiest of citiest people put on their flannel shirts and holey jeans (I wasn’t aware that anybody else besides Texans had holey jeans. And not the chic holey jeans. I mean the holey jeans that one has had for enough years to become holey from actually working outside) and head to the country!

I say this with love in my heart, but my good friend is definitely a city sort of gal. She wouldn’t be able to tell you that potatoes actually grow in the ground, that carrots have green tops, or that you can eat a fresh chicken egg even if it’s been sitting outside for a few days.

However, she does know when apple season starts.

And what’s more appropriate to do with all those fresh apples than to make an apple pie. Oozing caramel and apple juices, covered with a crumbly streusel top, and having that perfect, firm but creamy apple bite? Oh my. Heaven on the East Coast. Nothing is more satisfying or more attractive on a November night.

See? Pretty as a peach! Or, I suppose, an apple.

Apple Pie

Serves 6-8.

The pie keeps well at room temperature (covered) for 24 hours, or refrigerated for up to 4 days.

1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought, rolled out to 10 inches in diameter

1 recipe Dulce de leche sauce (see here)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 pounds baking apples like Golden Delicious
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Generous pinch of ground nutmeg
2 sticks cold butter, cut into cubes

1½ cups flour

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup oats

Line the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan with the disc of dough, and trim it so it lays about on the edge of the pan. Crimp the edges, if desired, and set aside.

Next, put the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Peel, halve, and core the apples. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Toss the apple with the lemon juice. Add the sugar and toss to combine evenly.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the apples soften and release most of their juices, about 7 minutes.
Strain the apples in a colander over a medium bowl to catch all the juice. Shake the colander to get as much liquid as possible. Return the juices to the skillet, and simmer over medium heat until thickened and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the streusel topping. In the bowl of a stand mixer, (or a large mixing bowl) combine the butter cubes, flour, brown sugar, sugar, salt and oats. With the paddle attachment, mix on low until large crumbles form, about 2-4 minutes. Set aside and try not to eat it all!



In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the dulce de leche sauce, reduced juice, and spices. Set aside to cool completely. (This filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen for up to 6 months.)


Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375˚.
Put the apple filling in the pan and mound it slightly in the center. Mound streusel on top. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Bake the pie on a baking sheet until the crust is golden, about 50 minutes. Cool on a rack before serving.

**I was going to take an after picture, but I had about 5 Marines descend upon my poor pie and devour it, literally, with their hands. I got the first picture from a test pie I had baked. Luckily.**