By Faith Bahadurian
It’s hard to resist the siren call of apple pie in the fall, and I heard it loud and clear when I was supposed to judge at the West Windsor Farmers Market apple pie contest again this year. I still think about last year’s winning entry by Megan Hodges. She thinly sliced nine apples on a mandolin, and “soaked” them in hot apple cider which slightly pre-cooked them, making the filling nice and tender without being mushy. She layered the apples with her own salted caramel inside a buttery crust and sprinkled the top with crunchy Demerara sugar to add crunch. Oh my!
But, ultimately, there just weren’t enough entries for a meaningful contest this year, so, cast out on my own, I went on the prowl for the apple pie of my dreams.
I always liked a chunk of sharp Cheddar cheese next to my pie, rather than ice cream or whipped cream. But how about incorporating the cheese into the pie itself? Sure, you could just add a cup of grated sharp cheddar to your apple filling, as some recipes do, usually to make up for using purchased crust. But I’d rather incorporate the cheese into the crust because I think the caramelization from baking heightens its flavor. Fortunately there are plenty of recipes out there, including the one below from Cindy Pawlcyn’s “Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook,” which I bought shortly after a memorable dinner I had there.
The type of apple you use is important for both texture and taste; you want something that won’t turn mushy and with some tartness to it. My father was devoted to Stayman Winesaps, which are not always easy to find, although he could usually count on Terhune Orchards. (See their excellent apple guide at terhuneorchards.com/apple-guide.)
The recipe here recommends the tart-sweet Cortland, as do many other recipes I found. Some suggest a combination of Cortland and another variety, maybe Granny Smith or even McIntosh. Jonamacs and Jonagolds also seem popular. Pawlcyn also likes Pippins as a backup to Cortland, but you may not find that heirloom variety easily; when they are available, they’re often used for cider, including for hard cider.
Apple Pie With Cheddar Cheese Crust
Adapted from “Mustard’s Grill Napa Valley Cookbook,” Cindy Pawlcyn with Brigid Callinan, Ten Speed Press (2001). Note: I’d probably serve this with a wedge of the same Cheddar cheese I used in the crust. — F.B.
To make the crust:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 tablespoons vegetable shortening, frozen and cut into small pieces
1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
6 to 7 tablespoons ice water
To make the filling:
8 large apples, peeled, halved, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick (Cortland recommended)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (depending on how juicy you like your pie)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
To make the crust, combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl or in a food processor with blade attachment. Add butter and shortening, and either cut the fat into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or process with brief pulses until it resembles coarse meal. Add cheese and mix to combine.
If you are using a processor, transfer flour mixture to a bowl. Drizzle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture and stir quickly with a fork until mixture holds together. Add more water only if necessary, but do not let mixture become sticky. Gather the dough into a ball, and divide in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and flatten into a 1-inch disk. Chill in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, or until firm enough to roll out.
To make filling, combine apples, lemon juice, vanilla, sugar, salt, and flour in a large bowl, tossing to mix evenly.
On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk into an 11-inch circle, about ¼-inch thick. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie pan and gently ease dough into pan. Trim edges, leaving about ½-inch of dough overhanging the sides. (Save scraps for any patching that may be necessary.) Add filling into the crust and dot with butter. Roll out remaining dough to about ¼-inch thickness and place on top of the filling. Trim the edges even with the bottom crust and crimp the two together to seal. Put the pie in the freezer for about 15 minutes, which “sets” the butter and helps prevent a greasy crust.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Use a paring knife to cut 4 or 5 vents into top crust. Whisk together the egg and water, and brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake the pie for 20 minutes, then lower temperature to 375 degrees and bake for another 40-45 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and apples are tender (check by inserting a skewer or sharp thin knife through a vent).
Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream — or a wedge of Cheddar! – if desired.
Faith Bahadurian blogs at http://njspice.net (also Twitter @njspice). On Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., she’s hosting Crazy For Cookbooks, a panel discussion at the Princeton Public Library with area chefs, food writers, and cookbook authors/publishers.
