–
Since starting college, my bubbie (grandmother in Yiddish) has played a very dangerous game with me. Every time I go home, she “surprises” me with one of her famous pies, and I proceed to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner over the course of my stay. There is simply no way to resist her pies: warm and gooey, sweet on the inside and perfectly buttery and flakey on the outside.
I am the fourth generation in my family to receive and use this apple pie recipe. My great-grandmother first created the recipe and passed it down to my bubbie, who sent it to my mother when she was living in Nairobi, Kenya and wanted to show her host family what a traditional American Thanksgiving was like in 1989. Now, I possess and cherish this special recipe. Rich in history and flavor, this apple pie is sure not to disappoint.
Apple Pie A La Grandma
Crust:
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup Crisco or butter
1/3 cup ice water (or as needed)
If you roll the dough thin enough, you will probably make 1 1/2 to 2 pies(or 3 to 4 crusts) out of this.
Sift together flour and salt. Cut in Crisco or butter. Add enough water to mold into a ball. Cut in two — chill balls for about an hour or more (wrap in waxed paper to chill.) Roll out on floured board.
Filling:
6 to 8 tart apples (depending on the size of apples) peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 Tablespoons quick cooking tapioca (or 1/4 cup flour to thicken or 3 Tablespoons cornstarch)
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients except butter. Put into crust.
2. Cut butter into small pieces and distribute over top of apple mixture.
3. Cover with top crust.
4. Cut to fit overlapping edge of top crust around bottom edge of crust and pinch closed.
5. Brush top crust with cream or beaten egg yolk to keep it from burning and have it be golden brown.
6. Punch holes in top crust.
7. Bake in a hot oven (450 degrees) about 10 minutes; reduce temperature to moderate (350 degrees) for another 30-35 minutes until apples are tender and bubbles are large and crust is golden brown.
8. Put foil under pie while baking to catch drippings.
9. Cool at room temperature.
10. Relax and enjoy!
(Passed down from Bubbie Dorothy Barkin Berger to Bubbie Deena Berger Burman to
Allison Beth Burman Gordon to Gussie Sparks Gordon)