“As American as Apple Pie”
Pie was a symbol of celebration in my family. We would have pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas and sometimes for birthdays if that was what a family member wanted. My dad loved banana cream pie and often requested that for his birthday. And of course, we always enjoyed apple pie. My grandmother’s visits were also a time of celebration as we didn’t get to see her as often as we would have liked. She invariably made at least one pie when she visited. The best part though was the leftover pie crust. Grandma always rolled it out, sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on it and baked it. This was a special treat just for the kids. I don’t remember Grandma ever using a recipe…she made incredible crusts and ultimately pies. (My mother was never a successful pie crust maker; her crusts tended to be tough, so she was happy to use ready-made crusts. I suspect that she overworked the dough and the water she used was out of the tap and perhaps needed to be colder.)
Pie Crust Recipe
Ingredients (double the recipe if you want a top crust):
- 1 ¼ c all-purpose flour
- ¼ t salt
- ½ c shortening, chilled
- 3 T (more or less) of very cold water (if you put ice in the water, make sure that no ice gets into the dough mixture).
Directions:
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender (or fork), cut in the chilled shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Drizzle 2 T of the very cold water over the flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together.
- Gently gather dough into a ball (or two if the recipe is doubled). Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and put in a pie plate. Fill with desired filling and bake.
Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients:
- 4 large firm, tart apples
- 1/3 c sugar
- 1/3 c firmly packed brown sugar
- 3 T cornstarch
- ¼ t salt
- 1 t cinnamon
- 1/8 t nutmeg
- 2 T unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/8-inch slices.
- Add the apples to a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Sprinkle over the apples and toss to coat the apples in the sugar mixture.
- Gently add one rolled out crust to cover the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Trim off the excess crust around the edges.
- Add the apple mixture and any juice from the bowl into the crust. Spread the apples out evenly in the crust. Sprinkle the butter over the apples.
- Gently place the other rolled out crust over the center of the pie dish. Fold any overhang under the edge of the bottom crust and pinch together to seal. Crimp to form a decorative edge. Cut 3 to 4 three-inch slits in the top of the pie to allow it to vent.
- Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes at 450°F, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 50 minutes. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with strips of aluminum foil.
- Allow the pie to cool completely, 2 to 3 hours, before slicing. The filling will thicken as it cools.
Apple pie has traditionally been a patriotic symbol for the United States, and no 4th of July celebration would be complete with one. According to Tara Yarlagadda, “It wasn’t until World War II that apple pies really became stamped into the American consciousness as a patriotic pastry. American soldiers during the war commonly told reporters that they defended their nation ‘for mom and apple pie.’ ” So, while we associate apple pie with “all things American,” apple pie was actually brought to the new world by Europeans. In fact, “apple pie” can be traced back to the 14th century. Of course, it was much different then because they did not use sugar and the pastry was not meant to be eaten. It is interesting to realize that “A fruit that originated in Kazakhstan, starred in a British pastry, and is beloved by people across the United States, transcends national and cultural boundaries (Anastopoulo).”
If you are a believer, you can even trace apple pie back to Hobbiton. When Gary and I were recently in New Zealand, we visited Hobbiton. We were able to actually enter a Hobbit Hole and see what it would have been like to live in one. In the kitchen, we discovered the apple pie recipe that the Hobbits used.
So whether you are joining the Hobbits, celebrating a special holiday or event, or just enjoying a special dessert, Apple Pie (or really any pie) is cause for indulgence.
Sources
Anastopoulo, Rossi. “Why Apple Pie Isn’t so American after All.” Food52, Food52, 23 Nov. 2021, food52.com/blog/24688-apple-pie-origin-story.
Yarlagadda, Tara. “What’s so American about Apple Pie?” HowStuffWorks, 27 Dec. 2019, people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/as-american-as-apple-pie.htm.