How to prepare apple pie
Step 1
To make apple pie, start with the dough, the crust pie . Place the flour, sugar, cold butter cut into cubes and a pinch of salt in the mixer. Combine the ingredients and pour in the cold water little by little, keeping the mixer active until the dough is rough.1. We recommend not overworking the dough so that the butter does not get too hot.
step 2
Flour the surface and work the dough until it reaches a smooth consistency. We recommend that you do not work it too much to avoid it hardening. Then divide the dough into two loaves, one slightly larger than the other, and flatten them slightly. Wrap the two discs of dough in cling film2, leave them to rest in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes and, once the necessary time has elapsed, leave them at room temperature for a few minutes: this is a fundamental step to make them elastic again and easier to work with.
step 3
Now proceed to prepare the filling. Start by washing, drying, peeling and cutting the apples into evenly sized pieces3. To prevent the apples from releasing too much water during cooking and thus making the dough soggy, we recommend placing the apple slices on a cloth and dabbing them lightly. In addition, it is important to use only one type of apple and not to mix them so that the filling does not become too runny.
Step 4
Mix sugar, flour, lemon juice, ground cinnamon and nutmeg4.
Step 5
Stir occasionally5Let the filling macerate for at least half an hour, then add the melted butter.
Step 6
Once the filling is prepared, you can work with the dough again. After the resting time, take it out of the fridge and roll out the first block of dough on a flat surface with a rolling pin.6 Until you have a circular disk that is about 5 millimeters thick and slightly wider than the mold.
Step 7
Butter and flour the pan so that the dough does not stick during baking7.
Step 8
Place the first disc on the baking tray using a rolling pin. Press the dough firmly onto the bottom and sides8.
Step 9
Place the apple filling in the center of the dough and spread it over the entire surface, making sure to collect more in the center to create a small dome that will stay high during and after baking9.
Step 10
Distribute a few small pieces of butter in the filling10, then cut off the excess dough.
Step 11
Now roll out the other block of dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface and then fold it in half11.
Step 12
Fold it into a quarter again12, then roll it out again until it forms a round shape.
Step 13
Place the new slice on the filling13until it is well covered.
Step 14
Brush the surface of the cake with a mixture of egg and two teaspoons of water (you can replace the water with milk or cream). Then press the edges together with the tip of your index finger and thumb to seal the filling well. Then repeat this step also inwards to obtain pointed edges and a wavy cord. Cut off the excess dough and then with the help of a very sharp knife or scissors make small cuts in the upper part, also some in the middle14.
Step 15
Cover the cake with aluminum foil to obtain a perfectly golden dome, then bake it in the preheated oven at 220 °C for about 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes. Place the apple cake on the lowest rack of the oven and cover the edges with baking paper if necessary: in fact, the edges tend to brown first and with this little trick you will prevent them from burning after baking15.
Step 16
Remove the apple pie from the oven and serve warm with a pinch of powdered sugar16.
How to store apple pie?
Apple pie can be stored under a glass cover at room temperature for up to three days and in the refrigerator for a week. We recommend serving it warm, so if you have leftovers, heat it in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
Curiosity: History and variations of apple pie
The origins of apple pie date back to the 17th century and it is a recipe that was imported to America by English colonists. At first there were not many varieties of apples in the New World and they were mainly used to make cider. Therefore, different varieties were imported from Europe and with these the recipe spread, becoming very popular in the 18th century.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, American apple pie became a true symbol of prosperity and national pride, so much so that the expression “ As American as apple pie ” was coined.
Thus, it was the colonists from Great Britain who brought it to America in the 17th century , and from New England, where its success began, it then made a journey all over the world, so that there are numerous variations of the apple pie: the Dutch, the French, the tarte tatin , an upside-down apple pie, and finally the Swedish, which is more like a tart.
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