as American as...

It is time to be thinking about the fall apple crop. Nearly 30 years ago, a friend told me about this recipe for home-processed apple pie filling but said she had tried it and it turned out horribly so she was reluctant to share it with me. I talked her into giving it to me anyway and I have used it all these years with wonderful results. I make several batches each year to have plenty on hand. It is wonderful for a quick, easy dessert; many claim it is the best apple pie they’ve ever had. Make it with the traditional double crust (I’ve included my own recipe for pie crust) or try it with the Apple Crumb topping in place of the top crust (that’s the way my family likes it). A jar of the filling makes a beautiful gift, too.


BOTTLED APPLE PIE FILLING
Mix together in a large pot:
4 ½ Cups sugar
1 Cup cornstarch
2 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
Add 10 Cups water and cook over medium heat until bubbly.
Add 3 Tbsp. lemon juice. Remove from heat.
Prepare 7 quarts of apples*, peeled, and thinly sliced. Pour syrup over apples, using a skewer to work out air pockets. Fill bottles to ½” from top. Cap and process in a cold water bath or steamer for 20 minutes.
*I use either golden delicious or granny smith, but any tart apple works well.


APPLE CRUMB PIE
Empty one jar apple pie filling (see previous recipe) into unbaked pie shell.
In a small bowl combine:
¾ Cup flour
½ Cup sugar
With a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 Cup butter until mixture resembles cornmeal. Sprinkle over apples.
Bake 40 minutes at 400 .


PIE CRUST
2 Cups flour
½ tsp. salt
10 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. shortening
¼ Cup ice water
Mix four and salt. Cut shortening and butter in until mixture resembles cornmeal. Stir in water slowly, adding a little more if needed just until mixture will stick to itself. Makes enough for two crusts. *Roll out scraps, cut into squares, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake for a delicious pie crust cookie.