Makes two pies. Give one away or scarf them down yourself. I don’t judge.
Butter Crust:
This is a rather firm crust, just the way I like it for bottom crust only pies. And with this recipe , after the fruit, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE BUTTER!
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (Do I have to articulate that you MUST use REAL BUTTER when baking? MARGARINE IS OF THE DEVIL. FOR REALS.)
6 tablespoons ice water (more or less)
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; pulse until coarse meal forms. Gradually blend in enough ice water to form clumps that are moist. Form dough into two balls, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours or as long as you’ve got, if you’re me. In which case you will just roll them out, put in a pie pan and put in the fridge until the filling is done. (I do a ragged, natural edge on this pie. It ends up looking all rustic and like I am about to feed it to a hottie lumberjack at a woodland picnic or something. Dig it.)
Crumb Topping:
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (DO NOT USE QUICK OATS. SEE ABOVE COMMENT ABOUT INGREDIENTS THAT ARE OF THE DEVIL. THEY ARE IN THE SAME CATEGORY, PEOPLE.)
1 1/2 cups golden brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled butter, cubed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Mix oats, 1 cup sugar, and flour into a mixer. Add butter and mix on low until topping comes together in moist clumps. Try to leave some for the actual pie after taking a taste test or forty.
Filling:
I like my pies HEAPING full. You can use less fruit. See? I am way flexible, people. Take that how you will. Heh.
4 Honey Crisp apples
4 Fuji or Gala apples
4 Bosc Pears
1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending on taste) dried cranberries (craisins)
1 cup sugar (I like my pies sweet. I am not a tart fan around here. At least about fruit pies, that is. You can use less sugar if you like. )
1/2 cup flour (For firmer filling, use more, for runnier filling use less. This is the ratio I prefer.)
1 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
Peel, core and slice the apples and pears. Place in a bowl. Add sugar and cinnamon and toss. Gradually add flour until the mixture has enough flour/moisture and is evenly coated. Add the dried cranberries and toss again.
Pour into chilled pie dough shells. Dot with butter (YES. MORE BUTTER! BUTTER, BUTTER, BUTTERY BUTTER!) Mound crumb topping over the fruit filling.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400-degrees or until the crumb topping is browned. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 35-45 minutes until fruit is tender and the filling is bubbling. (If necessary, cover with foil after reducing the heat to prevent the top and edges from burning/over browning)
You can find the story behind the pie and what my kitchen looked like after I was done making it, here.
Delish, tying the pastry w/ string is a clever idea. I will have to remember it, thanks. Clarice
I made this, and it came out great! We ended up doing two over a few days, to finish out the two sheets of pastry, and everyone thought it was very good.
Thanks