Wayne Village Pottery Apple Pie

Notes & Tips before we get started:

-Some would say that there is a perfect kind of apple for pies- we have heard all the theories. If you have a favorite kind, then by all means, use that! However, we have found with a pie this size that a combination of different types- Granny Smith, Cortland, Empire, Macintosh, or whatever is available at your local supermarket- is the way to go.

-Pie crust- there are those who simply must make their's from scratch, there are those who enjoy the convenience of pre-made. Again, we are not here to decide which is best, just remember that these are BIG pie plates, so if you are making your crust from scratch you will want to increase your recipe slightly(25%-50%) or roll your crust out thinner.  If you use pre-made, we definitely recommend unrolling or unfolding the crust and passing a rolling pin over it two or three times to make it just a little bit bigger.

Also, crimping the crust is very easy with these pie plates due to the rim design. Simply fold the top crust over the bottom, and press the crust down, following the contours of the rim.

Ingredients:

Pie Crusts- 2

Apples- 10 cups- peeled, cored, and sliced thin

Lemon- 1

Brown Sugar- 3/4 cup

Flour- 1/4 cup

Cinnamon- 1 or 2 tablespoons

Butter- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick)

Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 425.

-Place bottom crust in pie plate. Make sure the bottom crust comes at least 1/2" above the rim of the pie plate.

-Peel, core, and thinly slice 10 cups (about 1 dozen medium-sized apples) Toss together in large mixing bowl with the juice of 1 lemon. Set aside and let stand for 10-15 minutes.

-In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.

-Add sugar and flour mixture to apples and stir to coat.

-A couple of cups at a time, place apples in pie plate so that the slices make flat layers- simply dumping the apples in will make a HUGE pie and lead to the old "huge space between the top crust and filling" problem when it is baked.

-Cut 1/2 stick of butter into small pieces. Dot the apples with diced butter.

-Place top crust on, folding over the bottom crust and crimping however you like. Cut slits in top of crust to vent.

-Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.

-After 15 minutes, turn oven down to 350. Bake for and additional 45 minutes to  1 hour.

Note on cooking times- Again, this is a BIG pie. If you are using a firm apple such as a Granny Smith and you like your apples soft and slightly mushy, cook for the full 1 hour. If you are using a softer apple, such as a Macintosh or you prefer your apples on the firm side, cook for 45 minutes.

-Invite a large group of friends and family over to help you eat your pie!