You know what makes a good pie? A good movie. I watched "Cry Baby" staring a young Johnny Depp. Oh...! The lines in that movie. "That's why I gotta do somethin' rotten everyday for my folks."
A good recipe helps too. I used the dough recipe from Alton Brown's apple pie recipe. Unfortunately, the larger food processor I recently acquired from a friend doesn't seem to work. So I had to mix it in batches in a smaller food processor (which I suspect is mainly meant for fresh sauces).
I didn't follow the recipe exactly (par for course for a Sarah). I replaced the apple jack with vanilla rum because I don't have an extra twenty dollars for liquor and still have a hefty stash from my birthday. Also...I have a secret. To season the apples... I used garam masala. Yes, my curry seasoning stash went into apple pie. Personally, since apples aren't even a native plant I don't feel that putting an Indian spice mix into a fruit that is no longer grows in its native soil doesn't feel strange at all.
The pie would have been more attractive if I had a pie bird instead of just scrunching a bunch of tin foil into a cone shape, but I feel that it was pretty good for a first attempt.
Now, if you'll excuse me, that left over pie won't eat itself.
Your pie looks and sounds really yummy - how grand, how lofty!! And how did the garma masala and vanilla rum marry up? A counter-intuitive combo for sure!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not certain what a pie bird is, but when my pop makes his pies, the ones that made Thanksgiving just a little less thankful this year (me being in Spain and all), he usually slices some slits around the 'iris' and puts a dough shape of some-sort, that he cuts out from the left over dough, in the middle. Glazes the dough in butter, and sprinkles secret family spices on top of it. Now your crust looks a bit more... uhm... less... flat, which I assume is intended, and I'm not certain if this mode of beautifying the pie would work for you... but I thought I'd pass along what little cookery skills I have at my disposal. (Also Pineapple/Mango juice is the best base for Ramen. Ever. Now you know all my secrets.)
ReplyDeletePishkite: There was three pounds of apples in that pie. There was no unfortunate "pie dome" (where the steam lifts the crust and sets while the apples lay far below). I'm still uncertain about pineapple/mango juice for ramen. A pie bird is a ceramic bird with a hole in it to release steam and prevent pie dome. It could look like anything, but there's that whole "black birds baked in a pie".
ReplyDeleteConnie: Garam masala and vanilla rum married well and lived happily ever after (until we ate them though their spirits live on inside us). I'll definitely do it again.
I want to try making this again. I think I can make a prettier crust next time.
re food processor: uh oh - sorry to hear that it isn't working as, uhm, expected. I know nothing whatsoever about food processors so didn't try to do anything with it...
ReplyDeleteIt's okay. I've been planning on googling the model information, but... out of sight out of mind.
ReplyDelete