Time for PIE! - Thanksgiving Series

It's Monday of Thanksgiving week!  What can you do today to prepare for Thanksgiving Day?  Make your pies!  Actually, you'll assemble them, wrap them, and freeze them until Wednesday night or Thursday morning.  Today, I'm sharing my recipe for Apple pie! (Filling AND crust!) 

*By ingredients, this apple pie is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Steps marked with an asterisk (*) are child friendly!  

Click HERE for more information! 

Apple Pie

Crust

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup cold, cubed vegetable shortening (I like Earth Balance Vegetable Shortening)
12 Tablespoons cold, cubed Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (Soy-free if possible)
¼ cup ice water (may need up to ½ cup)

Directions:

1. *In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, whisk together to ensure even mixing.
2. *Add the shortening and press it into the flour, sort of pinching it in with just your fingertips. (keep it all as cold as possible!)
   
3. *Add the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and cut in with a pastry cutter, or with your fingertips. The mixture should be crumbly.
4. *Add ice water, about a Tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together into a ball.
5. Do not overwork your dough! Divide it in half and *gently form each half into a thick disk. *Wrap each one separtately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 – 40 minutes. In the meantime, make the filling! 

Filling

Ingredients:

¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice
8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 lemon (zest, and juice)
3 tablespoons cubed Earth Balance Buttery Sticks
Water, for brushing
Granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. *In a bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, and apple pie spice. 
3. *In a separate bowl, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice.
4. *Stir the sugar/flour mixture into the apples until everything is evenly coated. 
5. Remove the two disks of pie dough from the refrigerator. *Roll each one out on a lightly floured surface. 
6. Use one circle to line a 9 inch pie pan. 
7. *Pile the apple filling into the pie pan, and dot the top of the filling with the Earth Balance cubes.
8. *Top the pie with the second circle and crimp the edges. 
9. *Brush the top of the pie lightly with water, and sprinkle granulated sugar liberally over the top. 
10. Vent the top of the pie by cutting simple slashes from near the center, radiating out. (Think of the sun’s rays.) 5 vents should do! 
11. If baking immediately: Bake for 45 minutes. 
12. If freezing: wrap in several layers of plastic wrap, and THEN place the whole shebang in a large freezer bag! The pie will keep for two months like this in the freezer. When it is time to bake, DO NOT THAW THE PIE!!!!! Thawing will result in a soggy crust! Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake pie for 25 minutes and then reduce heat to 375 degrees F. Continue to bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apples are soft. 
13. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!