Simple and perfect - a rustic apple pie

(Couldn't wait long enough to take a picture!)

So, what's a girl to do with a barrel full of apples?  Easy - bake until you see the bottom of the barrel again. And with that, I have my all time, never fail and simple recipe to share for a "rustic" apple pie.  Now, rustic doesn't mean anything exotic, it's freeform!  You got it - not muss, no fuss but an exceptional end product!

I first learned to cook pies from my dear Uncle Mike - when I was 10 years old, I faithful followed him around his kitchen mimicking every move he made and studied his technique with the greatest of interest.  Of course, it was tasting the end result which was the main prize for such focus at that age, but I am still in awe of watching any professional work their art with pastry!  When I was in University, it was Martha Stewart's pie crust using a food processor (so the heat of your hands wouldn't melt the butter) ensuring a perfectly crisp pastry.  These days, it's all about a great, flaky crust, seasonal fruit and minimal work - I have a day job to maintain here!

So, here is my standby for the fall classic (you can substitute other fruit combinations depending on what is in season)

Ingredients


Pastry

1 cup plus 2 Tbsps flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

About 4-6 Tbsps ice-cold water

Filling

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

About 5 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 tablespoon butter



Directions

To make the pastry: Put the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter pieces and incorporate with either a pastry cutter or your fingers until it reaches a crumb texture. Make a well in the middle, and pour in the vanilla and water. Quickly work in the flour with your hands to create dough. Do not over-mix. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 20 minutes, or you can make this ahead of time and keep refridgerated a day.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Roll the pastry into a large round and lay on a baking sheet.

For the filling, stir together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl. Toss in the apples to coat, and transfer them to the center of the pastry. Cut the butter into smaller pieces and scatter over the top of the apples. Bring the edges of the pastry up over so they lay rough-edged over the apples. They won’t cover the apples completely. Bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the apples are soft, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Some additional tips for a flaky pastry:

Keep the butter and water cold!  I keep the butter in the fridge until the last minute and put a few ice cubes in a cup of water and pull the needed amount of water from there.

Lass handling makes a better pastry - this is not bread dough!  Don't worry, it doesn't have to look pretty and it's ideal to see small pieces of better still in tack while bringing the dough together!  If you are concerned about over kneading the dough, you can alternatively use a food processor.

Letting the dough rest in the fridge is critical!  This will bring the small pieces of butter that have melted back to a solid form.  Once you roll the dough out, you can choose to place the sheet back in the fridge or even the completed pie prior to cooking - for the same reason.  When it hits the high heat and the butter starts to melt during the cooking stage, it produces a flakier crust.

Enjoy!