Rustic Apple Pie

Apple pies are quintessential Americana cuisine and though delicious throughout the year, pies are a lovely summer dessert. Apples, a member of the rose family, were among the earliest trees to be cultivated by humans in Central Asia where apples originated. Apple trees were brought to the States during the 17th century and continue to be one of the most widely cultivated trees. Though in the States we consume only a handful of different apples, there are actually thousands of apple cultivars presenting a vast range of characteristics. Apples are the perfect filling for a freeform pie due to their sturdiness and relative lack of juice. Rustic apple pies are the perfect summer dessert, fresh, easy and delicious.

1 ¼ c flour

½ c butter

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

ice water

4 medium macintosh or similar apples

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp corn starch

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp butter

1 egg, beaten

1. Gently combine flour, butter, sugar and salt until crumbly in texture, either by hand or food processor. Slowly add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, gently combining ingredients until dough forms into a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place dough in fridge.

2. Peel apples and slice into ¼-½ inch wedges. Toss apple slices with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Set apples aside.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from fridge and place between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough into a 12-14 inch crust round. Remove top sheet of parchment paper, place crust round and bottom sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

4. Mound filling into a circle in the center of crust about 1" thick, leaving a 2" edge. Place small pieces of butter on top of filling. Fold edge of crust around apple filling, gently pressing folded crust around filling. Using a pastry brush, brush crust with egg.

5. Place pie in oven and bake until crust is golden brown and apples are tender, 30-40 minutes. Remove pie from oven; cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes one pie