Friday, October 14, 2011

Harvest party!

Our friends at Middlebrook farm and Local New Buffalo are having a harvest party at the farm tonight. I made apple pies for the occasion. The other one says, MB. Silly a bit, but I feel like making a fancy crust is half the fun of making the pie. I can't wait to try them - I'm just waiting for the little dumpling tarts to cool!
Pie is so easy. These are made with whole wheat flour and a random variety of apples. We got two huge bags of apples (an entire peck total!) from the owners of an apple farm nearby after their boxer attacked Gilda! Gilda is fine - she's a tough little dog. I think this was the first time that she's met a dog that wouldn't let her be alpha and she didn't know what to think.
Anyway, the pie dough recipe is just: 2 and a 1/2 cups of flour and a tsp of salt into the food processor. Add 2 T frozen butter, sliced in 'pats', and pulse a few times until its pea-sized crumbles. Add about 1/3cup very cold water, pulsing until it hangs together. Squish it together into two balls (but don't knead), add more water if you have to but don't add too much. Then just roll out each ball of the dough, press one into a buttered pie pan, fill it with apples, and put on the top crust. I brush the crush with an egg wash (1 egg + small splash of water) and make the pie decorations stick with a bit of egg underneath too.
The apple filling is peeled and thinly sliced apples mixed with sugar, a teeny bit of salt, and garam masala. It's a little spicy!
Then it's all baked at 375 for an hour (ish), turning it halfway to make sure the crust browns evenly.
Mmm. Pie.

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