Even though peaches are considered the quintessential Southern fruit, the phrase “as American as apple pie” applies to the South, too. Apples grow in the cooler mountainous regions from Georgia to Virginia. There is no longer an issue with refrigeration, but apples were an important fruit for people in the country who lived off the land. When held in a cool cellar, apples lasted for months, providing much needed vitamins and nutrition in the winter. Many factors affect an apple’s juiciness: the age of the apple, the weather and climate where it was grown, and how it has been stored. In a pie, there’s sometimes a fine line between juicy and sopping wet. Flour is one ingredient that will help absorb some of the cooking juices. This is my sister’s favorite dessert and she always requests it on special occasions.

　　

Ingredients

makes one 9-inch pie

　　Double recipe All-American Pie Crust, in 2 disks (page 258)

　　7 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

　　3/4 cup to 1 cup sugar, plus more for topping the pie

　　2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

　　Pinch of fine sea salt

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

　　1 tablespoon water

　　

Step 1

Prepare the pie pastry. To shape the crust, on a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of the dough into a 13-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough round to a 9-inch pie plate. With a sharp paring knife, trim the dough flush with the rim of the plate. Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

To make the filling, place the apples in a bowl; sprinkle over the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine and coat. Place the apple mixture in the unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter bits.

　　

Step 3

Roll out the remaining half of the pie crust on a lightly floured surface. Cover the filled pie crust with the round of dough, and trim so that 1 inch overhangs the pie plate. Fold the dough under, and crimp the edges by pressing with a fork or your fingers. Chill in the refrigerator until the crust is firm, about 15 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Meanwhile, to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the top of the pie with the water. Sprinkle over a teaspoon or so of sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Transfer to a rack to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

　　

keeping the oven clean

Step 6

Apple pie and cheesy gratins sometimes have a tendency to bubble and dribble, resulting in a burnt, smelly mess on the bottom of the oven. Or, if you place a baking sheet underneath, you still have to clean the baking sheet. To avoid both messes, place a silicone-lined baking sheet under the baking dish. If the juices spill, they are very easy to clean off with warm soapy water.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.