Classic Apple Pie

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September. At long last. Andrew started preschool last week, which was – hard. He did great though, and is really enjoying being in a classroom environment. His little brother and I miss him in those morning hours, but we’ve been enjoying having some time as just the two of us too. We went apple picking this week, to the local orchard up the street, Vessey’s. They’ve had a rough year – in January they lost the matriarch of the family, Mrs. Nancy. The woman could talk your ear off about apples, or anything else for that matter for hours, and had peony bushes the size of small homes.  She was a gem, and is truly missed by many folks here in our community. Then, to make matters worse – it seemed like every crop took a nosedive. Flooding got to strawberries and then the dryness and intense heat in July fried the peaches. This week they mentioned that the pumpkins aren’t looking too hot either, so keep your fingers crossed!

But, I’m happy to report that the apples looked great. It was still a little early for picking, so I’ll probably go back in a couple of weeks to get a couple of bushels to make applesauce with. We settled for a peck, and promptly went home and make this pie. I’ve made it several times now, and it always comes out great. Which, speaks volumes considering pies have never been my strong suit. So many apple pies are so cloyingly sweet and cinnamon-ey, and I love this recipe because it isn’t. Hints of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg – and just enough sugar to make it sweet.  With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top? What a perfect way to welcome fall!

Apple Pie

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces nd chilled
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

For the pie:
2 pounds (4 -5) McIntosh apples
1 1/2 pounds (3-4) Granny Smith apples
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 recipe Double-Crust Pie Dough , bottom crust fit into pie plate
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.

Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does. Divide dough in half, and flatten into two 4-inch disks, and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat rimmed baking sheet and oven to 500°F.

Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable). Roll dough on lightly floured work surface or between two large sheets of plastic wrap to 12-inch disk. Transfer dough to pie plate by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling over 9 -inch pie plate. Working around circumference of pie plate, ease dough into pan corners by gently lifting dough edges with one hand while pressing around pan bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs lip of plate in place. Refrigerate dough-lined pie plate.

Peel, core and cut apples into 1/4-inch slices and toss with lemon juice and zest. In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar, flour, salt and spices. Toss dry ingredients with apples. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center.

Roll out second piece of dough to 12-inch disk and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits on dough top. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Place pie on baking sheet and lower oven temperature to 425°F. Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate pie and reduce oven temperature to 375°F; continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 4 hours before serving.

Source: The New Best Recipe by America’s Test Kitchen

Cannoli Cupcakes

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“Leave the gun, take the cannoli” – such time treasured advice. I love cannoli, but they can be a mess to make as well as incredibly time consuming. So, when I saw these cupcakes in Theresa Guidice’s cookbook, I knew I wanted to try them. A fun twist on the classic Italian dessert, these cupcakes are filled with a light cannoli cream, then frosted with a delicious cocoa whipped cream frosting.

I was a little hesitant about the cupcake batter, where I’d not used yogurt in a cupcake recipe before, but they turned out great. A little bit of a denser texture than my usual vanilla cupcake recipe, but that was good, because it needs to hold up to the cannoli filling. These are adorable, and different, and everyone enjoyed them. If you’re missing the crunch from the shell, try garnishing with some broken up sugar cone pieces. Or, take the more traditional route and top with mini chocolate chips.

Cannoli Cupcakes

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup ricotta impastata*
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1-2/3 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips for decoration (optional)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Put paper liners in a standard 12-cup muffin pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the yogurt and vanilla – scraping the sides of bowl as necessary. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

Divide the batter evenly among the cups. Bake until the cupcakes are golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.

For the cannoli cream: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta, confectioner’s sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Stir in the 1/4-cup mini chocolate chips. Transfer to a quart-sized resealable plastic bag. Using scissors, snip off 1/2-inch from a closed corner of the bag. You will use the plastic bag as a pastry bag to fill the cupcakes.

Using a small knife, cut a deep, inverted cone out of the center of each cupcake. Set cones aside. Use the plastic bag to fill the cupcakes with the cream. Use a knife to smooth the top of the filling flush with the cupcake.

To make the cocoa whipped cream: In a chilled medium bowl, combine the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks.

Snip 1/2-inch from a closed corner of a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Insert a large star tip (such as Ateco 825) in the bag and poke it through the snipped end. Transfer the cocoa cream to the bag. Pipe swirls of cocoa whipped cream over each cupcake. Sprinkle each with about a teaspoon of mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to serve.

* Ricotta impastata is an Italia cheese found in specialty shops. It’s dryer and lighter than traditional ricotta. Of course, I couldn’t find it – so I let a 15 oz container of whole milk ricotta set in a cheesecloth lined strainer overnight to reduce the liquid content. Then, I pureed it in the food processor for about 3 minutes to whip to make it lighter. Worked like a charm!

Souce: adapted from Fabulicious! by Teresa Giudice

Tomato Pie

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Tomatoes, fresh from the vine, are one of summer’s greatest gifts. There’s so many ways to use them, but few are simpler or more delicious than a tomato pie. When I first heard the term “tomato pie” – I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Was it sweet? It was after all pie, right?  But, after one bite I was hooked.

Tomatoes and onions are layered in pre-baked pie shell, then topped with a mixture of cheeses and fresh basil. So, yeah, it’s essentially a crust of cheese. How can you argue with that? My girlfriend made a couple for our book club this past weekend, and I’m afraid I might have eaten an entire pie to myself if they’d have let me! With all the fresh tomatoes I had in a colander on the counter, I knew I had to make one to share with you guys!

I did tweak a few things. First, I sliced the tomatoes, then salted and let sit for a few minutes to strain liquid out.  I like the layers! I sauteed the onions with a bit of garlic before adding them to the pie. Added a drizzle of balsamic before topping with the cheese mixture. Traditionally that mixture is mayonnaise, and then various cheeses. I wanted to lighten it up a bit, so I subbed half the mayo for Greek yogurt – and, as always, I love the slight tang that it lended to the dish!

If your lucky enough to have an abundance of tomatoes right now, do yourself a favor and make this pie! Or, better yet, make two – because they’ll go fast. Apparently they freeze great too. Stick it in the fridge the night before to defrost, then bake as usual. I’m definitely making a couple more to freeze before tomatoes are gone for good. It would be wonderful to enjoy this summery goodness in January!

Tomato Pie

1 9-inch pie shell (click for my favorite pie crust recipe)
1/2 onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, sliced in 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups grated cheese (Cheddar, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack)
1/3 cup mayonaise
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt, freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Place pie shell in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes or longer until lightly golden. If you are starting with a frozen crust, you’ll need to cook it a little longer. If you are using a homemade crust, freeze the crust first, then line the crust with aluminum foil and pre-bake it for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Place the sliced tomatoes in single layer on a cooling rack placed inside a baking pan, and sprinkle both sides with kosher salt. Let sit 15 minutes to let liquids drain.

Add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium high heat, and saute the onions until starting to brown on the edges. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle the bottom of the pre-cooked pie shell with the onions and garlic. Place the sliced tomatoes in even layers on top of the onions. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the sliced basil over the tomatoes.

In a medium bowl, mix together the grated cheese, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread the cheese mixture over the tomatoes.

Bake at 350, uncovered, until brown and bubbly – about 35 minutes. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Source: adapted from my friend Sarah via Simply Recipes

Rosemary-Black Pepper Dinner Rolls

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When I moved from Annapolis, here to the Eastern Shore, in my senior year of high school – it was kind of a culture shock. It wasn’t the rural life, or the small town atmosphere. For me, school itself was the biggest difference. I went from a graduating class of 600, to 37 (and that was a BIG year for Chincoteague!). And the food, it was REAL food with REAL silverware – no more plastic sporks!

They made these giant trays of homemade yeast rolls. They literally melted in your mouth they were so pillow-ey and soft. I couldn’t believe it – fresh baked bread? The rolls we got with my old school lunch were like rocks. One of my dear friend’s mom worked in the school cafeteria, just recently retired actually, and managed to share with me the school bread recipe. It makes like 200 rolls though, so I’m looking forward to scaling it down and trying it out. Making homemade dinner rolls is something to really take pride in, at least I think so.

This recipe is from my buddy Shawnda. I’ve made them twice now, and they have come out perfect both times. It makes 2 pans of rolls, which is nice. I made a big pot of chicken soup to take to my book club on Friday night, and these rolls were perfect alongside. You could also do one pans worth to freeze. Just cover well and stick it in the freezer after the first rise – then remove a few hours before you need to bake, and continue to bake. I did add a bit of garlic powder to the butter before brushing it on, and I liked the garlic-ey kick it gave the rolls. It fit in nicely with the rosemary and black pepper. Will make these again and again!

Rosemary-Black Pepper Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:
1 package (2 1/4 tsp) yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoon oil (vegetable, canola, or olive) plus more for greasing bowl
1 large egg
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Add the water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until the yeast becomes frothy. Add the oil, egg, sugar, pepper and rosemary to the bowl. Add the flour and mix on medium-low speed for about 2 minutes, just until the dough comes together. If the dough doesn’t clear the sides of the bowl, continue adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Add the salt and mix on low speed for an additional minute. Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Grease the bottom and sides of 2 8-inch baking pans. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Equally divide each half into 7 pieces about the size of a golf ball (2 ounces each if you’re weighing). Gently roll into rounds and place in the pans, leaving about half an inch of space between them. If freezing, wrap pan tightly in foil and place in freezer. Thaw and rise for 2 to 2 1/2 hours the day of baking and continue. Cover rolls and allow to rise for at least 20 minutes, or until they’ve expanded to fill the pan.

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine garlic powder and melted butter in small bowl. Brush with each pan with half of the melted butter and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Source: adapted from The Pastry Queen via Confection’s of A Foodie Bride