*****ALMOND CRUST*****
1 1/2 c Flour Cut in bits
2 tb Sugar 1/4 c Solid vegetable
1/2 ts Salt Shortening; chilled
1/4 c Almonds; fine-ground 1/8 ts Almond extract
1/4 c Unsalted butter, cold; 2 tb Cold milk; or as needed
*****FILLING*****
8 c Apples; sliced and peeled Cut in bits
1/2 c Sugar 3 tb Cider, applejack, or brandy
3 tb Unsalted butter; Cream; optional
Recipe by: From The Farmers’ Market – ISBN 0-06-055005-8 1. ALMOND
CRUST: In a mixing bowl or food processor, cut together the flour,
sugar, salt, ground almonds, butter, and shortening until crumbled to
the size of peas. Mix the almond extract with 1 Tbs of the milk; stir
this into the crumbled mixture. Add just enough additional cold milk
to hold the dough together. Gather the dough into a ball; flatten
into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour. 2. FILLING:
In a mixing bowl, toss together the apple slices, sugar, and butter.
Transfer the mixture to a deep 9 1/2-inch pie dish, mounding the
apples in the center. 3. Preheat the oven to 425?F. Roll out the
almond dough on a lightly floured surface to a neat 12-inch round.
Fold the dough in half and quickly but gently transfer it to the pie
dish, unfolding it over the apples. Roll the overhanging edges of the
pastry up and over toward the surface, forming a thick border around
the edges of the dough. Flute the edges and cut several slashes in
the center of the dough. 4. Bake the pie for 15 mins; then lower the
heat to 350?F and continue to bake until the pastry is nicely golden
and the apples are tender when checked with a fork, 35 to 40 mins
longer. 5. Remove the pie from the oven. Using a funnel, pour the
cider, applejack, or brandy through one of the steam vents in the
pastry. Cool the pie on a wire rack; then serve warm or at room
temperature in deep bowls, passing a pitcher of cream separately, if
you like.
Yields
8 servings