I made this rustic pie for a friend that will be spending Thanksgiving alone this year. She said to me, “I can’t make a pie just for me!”. I wanted to say, “Umm, Why not?” but instead I said, “I’ll make you a rustic pie and then you only need to eat a piece and freeze the rest!”
Like many of us, our holiday plans have changed and pairing down our meals does NOT mean we sacrifice the best part of Thanksgiving – the pie! I know many people who don’t make pie because they don’t want to make one whole pie for themselves (myself excluded!) and maybe that’s why hand pies are so popular.
Why not try a rustic pie?
Rustic pies are a baking deception. These dishless pies seem fancy and extra effort to those who don’t bake and most importantly they don’t feel like a whole pie! Like a galette, with this more rustic free form, you can slice it up, wrap it up and store away in the freezer for the next holiday or a random Wednesday night! Yes, of course, you can do that with any pie, but for some reason, with a rustic pie it just feels right (almost an obligation really) to eat a bit and freeze the rest!
Straight from the freezer, 30 seconds in the microwave and you have yourself a homemade piece of pie while you’re binging on old episodes of Will & Grace. The reality is this recipe is pretty much a whole pie (at least a whole double pie crust), it’s easy to make and when given as a gift let’s others know they are worthy of a fancy pie!
Did you miss that? Unlike a galette, this pie is a whole double pie crust! Rustic = Less Fruit. Admit it, you only eat pie for its crust, does anyone really care about the filling?! The filling is just a front to not have to say, “I ate a pie crust yesterday!”
So, even, if it’s just you on Thanksgiving and maybe you are eating leftover pizza while binge watching your favorite TV show – do yourself a favor, make this rustic pie for only you. Enjoy it in one sitting or enjoy it for weeks to come! Stay Safe and Healthy!
4 medium sized apples (I used gala), peeled and diced
1 T. apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 T. cornstarch or arrowroot starch
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
For the top;
1 T. sparkling sugar
2 T. half and half
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit.
After making the crust and letting chill in the refrigerator, roll out one half of the crust while still cold in a rough rectangular shape.
Place this crust on parchment paper that has been placed on a lipped baking sheet. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the diced apples, vinegar, cornstarch, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Dump the apples in the middle of the pie crust.
Fold each end up and over the apples, it will not cover them.
Roll the other piece of crust out (cut with a cookie cutter if desired) and place on top of the other crust and apples. If not using a cookie cutter, slit the top crust to allow for venting during baking.
Gently tuck the top crust under the bottom crust to form a sealed giant hand pie!
Brush the top of the pie with half and half and sprinkle with sugar.
Place the pie in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Turn at 20 minutes so that the front of the pie is now at the back of the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and the apples are bubbling through the slits or cookie cutter opening.
Strudel and Streusel are two friends living in different cities, sharing a love of baking (and butter) through this blog. With Streusel in Denver, and Strudel in Seattle, we've found our little site to be a great way to stay in touch, share recipes we love, and talk about experiences in our respective cities.
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