(Always read the recipe twice, assemble, and prepare your ingredients before you begin to cook)
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
Juice of ½ fresh lemon (no pits please)
6 tbsp. butter
1 box pre-made pie crusts from the dairy case (Pillsbury or store brand – 2 to a box to unroll and bake)
- Following the pie crust box directions, let the 2 rolls of pie crust stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on a large cookie sheet
- In a large bowl, stir together the prepared apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, salt, and lemon juice
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
- Unroll each pie crust and position separately on the cookie sheet
- Place half the apple mixture in the center on one crust leaving 2-3 inches of the outer part of the crust clear. Repeat with the other crust so you have 2 separate circles.
- Carefully fold and pleat the crust over the edges of each crust so that it covers 2-3 inches of the centered apple mixture. The center of each pie will not be covered with any crust
- Dot the tops of each pie with 3 tbsp. of the butter
- Bake about 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling – watch them carefully
- If the crust seems to be browning too quickly, cover the edges with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time
- Remove from the oven, cool slightly, and cut into wedges
- Top with sliced almonds if you’d like
Notes:
- tsp. means teaspoon and tbsp. means tablespoon – use measuring spoons not your cutlery
- “Rustic” pies are also called galettes. The term galette is used primarily to refer to rather rustic, free-form tarts-made with a single crust of pastry. As a pie filling is very moist, the sides of a galette are folded up and over to contain the juices from the fruit.
- It is important what type of apples you use in a recipe. The best baking apples offer a balance of sweet and tart flavors as well as flesh that doesn’t break down in the oven.
If you’d like to be a guest contributor to The Jefferson Chronicle’s Wooden Spoon, please email your recipe clearly noting all ingredients, measurements, and understandable directions to Carol.Punturieri@thejeffersonchronicle.com and type “The Wooden Spoon” in the Subject line. Be sure to include your name, address, and a telephone number in the event we need to clarify any information