Apple Week: Dutch Apple Pie

One of the bestest wedding shower gifts I received was given to me by our family's "go-to" pie friend.  Mary Ellen Martin makes some of the best pies I have ever tasted!  Her gift was a beautiful pie plate, a rolling pin, this apple pie recipe, and a pie baking lesson.  Having a pie baking lesson was the perfect "just for fun" activity to give me a break the week before my wedding.

Thanks, Mary Ellen, for teaching me to make pie!

Here's her recipe:

DUTCH APPLE PIE

• 6-8 baking apples (Jonathans are best)
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 c sugar

Peel and slice apples.  Combine cinnamon and sugar then mix with apples.  Pour into unbaked pie crust.

Combine until crumbly:

• 3/4 c flour
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/3 c butter

Put on top of sugared apples.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.  Reduce head to 350 and bake 35 minutes more.

I can understand if you have apprehensions about making pie crusts, but it is definitely one of those things where homemade makes a HUGE difference.  The recipe that Mary Ellen uses (and therefore I use) is Crisco's.  Here is a post about making pie crusts that I also found informative. Remember that the way to get better at it is to practice, practice, practice.  So start practicing!  Start by making apple pizza, because it is more forgiving of an imperfect crust.

And remember, if I can do it, YOU can do it.