Our finalists had such great tasting pies, the baking challenge has decided to highlight baking challenge bakers and their pie recipes on this blog. Plus it’s pie season. Annalee Ash’s brochure link for her winning Old-Fashioned Vinegar Pie has been posted. And Annalee is making another appearance for Eat Local First Week (July 22-28) thanks to our sponsor operation: eatery.
This post highlights the Makes-Me-Wanna SHOUT! Pie Baking Challenge second prize winner Meredith Newmark of Silver Spring, MD, and her Triple Crust Cast-Iron Skillet Apple Pie. Meredith’s skillet apple pie was the “People’s Choice” winner at the March Semifinals. For anyone who loves crust, apples, and the flavor of a good seasoned skillet (you know what I’m talkin’ about), this pie is definitely for you. Below is Meredith’s story and the recipe.
Meredith’s Pie Story
I was living in Greensboro, N.C., and volunteering with an adult literacy organization tutoring Vietnamese refugees in English. For our holiday party at the end of the year, they wanted to make their traditional food to share with us volunteers, and in return I wanted to make something American for these new immigrants. And of course, what could be more American than apple pie? The pie was a big hit with my students, even though it was a new dish for them. It was a great way to finish a meal of stir-fried noodles, meatballs, and spring rolls. Sharing our cultural traditions together was the perfect way to celebrate the holiday.
Triple Crust Cast-Iron Skillet Apple Pie
(Adapted from AllRecipes.com)
Ingredients:
5 Granny Smith Apples
¼ cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar, divided
2 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 stick (4 oz or ½ cup) plus 1 Tbsp of butter, divided
3 pie crusts (see recipe below)
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.Put ½ cup of butter into a 10” cast iron skillet, and heat in the oven until all butter is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle in the brown sugar; bake in oven while you prepare the apples.
3.Meanwhile, peel all the apples, cut them into quarters, and then slice thinly.
4.Remove skillet from oven, and put one crust in the pan over the caramelized sugar. Spread about half of the apple slivers over the crust. Sprinkle ¼ cup of white sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon over the apples. Place the second crust on top and arrange the rest of the apple slivers over it. Then top with ¼ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
5.Top with the third crust. Cut four slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of white sugar, and top with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into chunks.
6.Bake for 40 minutes or until top crust is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Pie Recipe: Crust/Pastry *
Easy All-Butter Pie Crust
(adapted from SmittenKitchen.com)
(Makes 3 crusts, enough for the triple-crust pie recipe.)
3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ Tbsp white sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
3 sticks (12 oz. or 1 ½ cups) unsalted butter, very cold
1.In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Dice the cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch pieces.
2.Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour and begin working them in with a pastry blender, until the butter pieces are the size of small peas and incorporated evenly into the flour mixture.
3.Drizzle ¾ cup of ice-cold water over the butter and flour mixture. Using a rubber or silicon spatula, gather the dough together. Add more water a tablespoon at a time (you may need up to 1 or 1 ½ cups total). Once the dough starts coming together in large clumps, gather them together into one mound with your hands, kneading them gently together.
4.Divide the dough into three even pieces, and place each third on a large piece of plastic wrap. Let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, but preferably at least two, before rolling it out.
5.Dough will keep in the fridge for about a week, and in the freezer longer. If not using it that day, wrap it in additional layers of plastic wrap. To defrost your dough, move it to the fridge for one day before using it.