apple picking and apple baking

I love apples. A lot. If I go to a restaurant and there's an apple dessert, I'll order it. If I'm ever stranded on a desert isle and I'm allowed one thing, it'll be an apple. Okay, well maybe that's a bit far-fetched, but I'm trying to make a point. I love apples. So when we got the opportunity to go apple picking here in Holland, I jumped at it. It wasn't my first time though. Pick-your-own fruit farms and orchards in Ontario (Canada) is abundant, and I've attended my share of family fruit-picking outings. Apples, cherries, strawberries at least twice, and blueberries just off the top of my head. I guess maybe that's why I adore Autumn so.

Apple-lovers, this one's for you.

This recipe is for apple pie, but I've used the recipe to create an apple crostata and apple turnover.

Apple Pie adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

Pate Brisee;

- 2 ½ cups flour

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon sugar

- 225 grams cold butter, cut into cubes

- ½ cup ice water

Apple Filling;

- 5 apples, cored, peeled, quartered and sliced

- ¾ cup sugar (or more if your apples are on the tart side)
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

- pinch of nutmeg

- Combine flour, salt and sugar, and add butter. Mix with fork until it resembles coarse meal. Add the water until the mixture just starts to hold together. When it stays together when squeezed, it's fine.

- Shape the dough into two discs, cover with clingwrap and refridgerate for at least one hour.

- Mix all the ingredients for the filling together.

- Roll out the dough between two sheets of clingwrap. I find that this method works the best for me, and it also makes transferring the dough to the pan a breeze. Remove the top sheet of the plasticwrap, lift the dough by sliding your hand on the underside, and flip over onto your baking dish. Then remove the other piece of clingwrap. Easy peasy!

- Spoon in the apple filling, and cover with the second piece of pie crust.

- Pinch the edges or use a fork, and cut slits in the top to let the steam escape. Another option is to slice the dough into strips and make a lattice cover.

- Brush with an egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. (I unfortunately found that all my eggs were finished when I needed to do the eggwash. I speak from experience, don't forget this part. It makes the crust shiny, golden, and ooh-aah worthy.)

- Bake in a 175C preheated oven for approximately 1 hour, or until golden.