Deep Dish Apple Pie...

Finally....

Its almost the season to be jolly....

October...and the hawkers "thelas" are overflowing with all varieties of apples.

Crisp and not so crisp....yummy and juicy....and full of goodness.

So we the humans decided to add the not so healthy stuff and make the apples even more delectable.No wonder the story of Adam and Eve revolves around ONE red apple.

well I used 12 red apples.....

A mix of "Delicious" Kashmir's Red Apples and "Fuji" Red Apples.

Sin!

Super Sin!

Super Duper ...DOUBLE SIN!

Yes TWO pies!

and this is what they are....

My fasts are still not over...today is the last day.....tomorrow morning ,after the puja....its time to attack.So to keep the sanctity of these fasts I did not add any egg in the pastry dough ,nor did I glaze the pie with egg!

This recipe is a little "hatke" from the regular pies...according to a gay couple who are American bakers and have emigrated to England.Missed the most of their show on TV , so couldn't catch their names.But they have two shaggy faced dogs.....

Let me start...

The aromas are wafting all around the house...and are positively driving me nuts!

so I'm blogging to ensure my hands stay away from the pie.

A word of caution ....I made two pies,so the pictures are all of double the measurements...but I'm posting the stuff needed for only one...so go ahead and don't bother your calculator...

For the 

Deep Dish Apple Pies...

you need

800-900 gms Apples.....If you have Granny Smith use them,I love the flavour of the red apples...else you can also mix the apples.

45 gms sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder

Rind and juice of 1/2 an orange

45 gms flour

A handful of raisins and walnuts

for the pastry

350 gms flour

175 gms butter ,chilled and cut into small pieces

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream

1/2 tsp vinegar

chilled water ...as needed to Knead.

We started with the pastry first...

that's the cubed and chilled butter

Put into the food processor along with half the flour

Now pulse the food processor to get bread crumbs...I had to double the dough so couldn't do it all,If you are doing one...go ahead and do all your dough in the processor bowl.
I needed to take it out into another bowl.And to that ,I added the cream.

And then the vinegar....The logic...the acid ensures that your dough is smooth...this was the bit of gyan that those happy and "gay" bakers gave.

I have cold hands...that explains my warm heart...so its easy for me to knead the dough a little longer.If you have cold hands ,work ASAP.you don't want the dough melting in tour hands.....and knead with the ice cold water.

All done now and ready to cover and chill until needed.

The chemistry between the cream and the vinegar is what gives such a smooth dough...And that's mum peeling the apples,working through her vacation.

And now they must be cored and sliced thinly ...

and now to toss in the stuff to dress the apples...

That's the rind ,add the juice and the remaining dry stuff..

The dry stuff was the sugar,the cinnamon and the flour-if you like extra sweet you can add a tablespoon of sugar more.Now toss to coat the apples well,the flour will ensure that the pie is not runny and your crust stays nice in crisp.

Now bring the dough out of the fridge.Cut into two unequal halves.Be Partial to the base.you want the pie to be bottom heavy.....
so roll out the dough on a floured surface,and wonder of wonders you'll find that your short crust pastry dough did not split.Say, thank you Shalini.

Pick it up carefully and lay it on the pie dish....let the extras overhang if you will ...the crust is what is nice.....

Now pile in the apples....top must be like a mound...."the mound of Venus"???

now roll out the other lesser  half and cover,but before you place it on the pie dish....just run a wet hand around the edges so that the top sticks.

Now trim and neaten and crimp with a fork.

Cut 4 or 5 slits for vents and decorate with the leftover scraps.Switch on your oven to 200C and brush the surface of the pie with milk.

I did two pies...

Bake at 200C for 30 minutes and then lower to 180C and bake for 20-25 minutes....

One I sent to someone ....they still have not told me .....cant take names here..... the other....well today the puja is over and we have demolished it....
but I'd rather show you these pretty pics than upload pics of us stuffing our faces.

That is the crocodile from the monkey and the crocodile story....

And that is a petite tortoise...
try this ,enjoy the bounty of nature.


PS Got a call...the pie was loved...with many thanks!!
go ahead and try the pie.
So what are you baking today????