Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie

Granny Smith apples are good for baking, and they add a tart contrast
to the sharp cheddar flavor in the crust.


Crust:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup (3 ounces) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Filling:
10 cup very thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 3/4
pounds)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash of salt
Cooking spray
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400°.
To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level
with a knife. Combine 1 tablespoon flour and cheese in a small bowl;
toss well. Place mixture in freezer for 10 minutes.

Combine 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup ice water in a small bowl, stirring
with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Combine 1 3/4 cups
flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a
pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in
cheese mixture. Add slurry; toss with a fork. Sprinkle surface with up
to 1 tablespoon ice water, tossing with a fork until moist and crumbly
(do not form a ball). Mixture will seem slightly dry.

Divide dough in half. Gently press each half into a 4-inch circle on 2
sheets of overlapping heavy-duty plastic wrap; cover with 2 additional
sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll each dough half, still
covered, into a 12-inch circle. Chill 30 minutes or until plastic wrap
can be easily removed.

To prepare filling, combine apple and lemon juice in a large bowl.
Combine 3 tablespoons flour, brown sugar, and next 5 ingredients (brown
sugar through dash of salt) in a small bowl. Sprinkle brown sugar
mixture over apples; toss well to coat.

To assemble pie, remove top sheets of plastic wrap from 1 dough circle;
fit dough, plastic wrap side up, into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate
coated with cooking spray, letting dough extend over edge of plate.
Remove remaining plastic wrap. Spoon filling into crust. Brush edges of
crust lightly with water. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap from
remaining dough circle; place, plastic wrap side up, on apple mixture.
Remove remaining plastic wrap. Press edges of dough together; fold
edges under, and flute. Cut 3 (1-inch) slits in top of pastry using a
sharp knife.

Combine egg white and 1 tablespoon water; brush over top and edges of
pie. Place pie on a baking sheet; bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until
golden. Cool on a wire rack.
---

Sheldon

On 23 Nov 2005 05:17:35 -0800, "Sheldon" > wrote:

>Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie
>
>Granny Smith apples are good for baking, and they add a tart contrast
>to the sharp cheddar flavor in the crust.
>
>
>Crust:
>2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
>3/4 cup (3 ounces) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
>1/2 cup ice water
>1/2 teaspoon salt
>1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
>
>Filling:
>10 cup very thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 3/4
>pounds)
>2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
>1/3 cup packed brown sugar
>1/4 cup granulated sugar
>1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
>1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
>1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
>Dash of salt
>Cooking spray
>1 large egg white, lightly beaten
>
>Preheat oven to 400°.
>To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level
>with a knife. Combine 1 tablespoon flour and cheese in a small bowl;
>toss well. Place mixture in freezer for 10 minutes.
>
>Combine 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup ice water in a small bowl, stirring
>with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Combine 1 3/4 cups
>flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; cut in butter with a
>pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in
>cheese mixture. Add slurry; toss with a fork. Sprinkle surface with up
>to 1 tablespoon ice water, tossing with a fork until moist and crumbly
>(do not form a ball). Mixture will seem slightly dry.
>
>Divide dough in half. Gently press each half into a 4-inch circle on 2
>sheets of overlapping heavy-duty plastic wrap; cover with 2 additional
>sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll each dough half, still
>covered, into a 12-inch circle. Chill 30 minutes or until plastic wrap
>can be easily removed.
>
>To prepare filling, combine apple and lemon juice in a large bowl.
>Combine 3 tablespoons flour, brown sugar, and next 5 ingredients (brown
>sugar through dash of salt) in a small bowl. Sprinkle brown sugar
>mixture over apples; toss well to coat.
>
>To assemble pie, remove top sheets of plastic wrap from 1 dough circle;
>fit dough, plastic wrap side up, into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate
>coated with cooking spray, letting dough extend over edge of plate.
>Remove remaining plastic wrap. Spoon filling into crust. Brush edges of
>crust lightly with water. Remove top sheets of plastic wrap from
>remaining dough circle; place, plastic wrap side up, on apple mixture.
>Remove remaining plastic wrap. Press edges of dough together; fold
>edges under, and flute. Cut 3 (1-inch) slits in top of pastry using a
>sharp knife.
>
>Combine egg white and 1 tablespoon water; brush over top and edges of
>pie. Place pie on a baking sheet; bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until
>golden. Cool on a wire rack.
>---
>
>Sheldon

did you cook this thing Sheldon? on a scale of one to ten rating all
the apple pie you ever ate...what is the rating?

Bill

(it needs to be north of 7 to go to this much trouble...otherwise Mrs.
Smith still keeps her job)

does Mrs. Smith's do a cheddar crust? Little Pie Company here in NYC
does but otherwise their pies are no big deal.

"ggg" > wrote in message
...
> does Mrs. Smith's do a cheddar crust? Little Pie Company here in NYC
> does but otherwise their pies are no big deal.


I can post you are recipe for one if you like