New England Apple Pie with Cornmeal Crust

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 20 mins

Total time: 1 hour 50 mins

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 2-1/4 c flour
• 3/4 c cornmeal
• 5 T sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/4 c walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
• 1 c shortening
• 1/2 c buttermilk

Filling:

• 7 New England apples, peeled and sliced
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/8 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/3 c flour
• 1/4 c maple syrup
• 2 T butter, in pieces

 Instructions:

Position oven rack to lowest third of oven.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Crust:

1. Whisk together first eight ingredients.
2. Add shortening and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Blend in enough buttermilk, by the tablespoon, to form a dough that clumps together.
4. Divide in half and flatten each half into a disk.
5. Wrap one disk in plastic wrap and set aside.
6. Roll out remaining disk between two sheets of waxed paper.
7. Transfer dough to a 9-inch, greased pie plate.

Filling:

1. Add lemon juice to sliced apples and toss to coat.
2. Combine next five ingredients and toss with apples.
3. Fill pie plate and pour the maple syrup over the apples.
4. Dot apples with butter.
5. Roll out and cover apples with top crust, sealing edges with fingers or fork.
6. Lightly brush with buttermilk.
7. Use a sharp knife to make air vent slits.
8. Place pie on foil-covered baking sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes, then cover pie with foil and continue baking until juices bubble thickly and crust browns, about 35 minutes more.

Transfer pie to rack and cool.

Serve warm a la mode or with New England cheddar cheese.

Source: NewEnglandApples.org