Gluten-Free Apple Pie

It's finally fall, folks!  Yes, I do realize that it's mid-October and technically it's been fall for almost a month, but here in New York it hovered around 80 degrees for all of September and most of October.  So, the crisp, gorgeous days we've had this past week have, at long last, put me in the scarf-wearing, hot-beverage-sipping, apple/pumpkin/gourd picking fall mood!

Last weekend, some good friends and I went on our annual fall getaway to the Catskills and, as is our custom, we stopped to pick apples in New Paltz on the way home.  If you're ever up that way, I highly recommend Dressel Farms for apple picking and all-around fall family fun!  We go every year, and the apples are always incredible.  I gave away a few of the ones I brought back to a friend in the city, and she told me they've ruined all other apples for her!

So, what do you do with a haul of gorgeous, peak-season apples?  Bake, of course!  Apples are my favorite fruit (particularly fresh-picked), and back in my gluten-filled days I used to make all sorts of apple delights:  apple turnovers, apple cider-braised pork chops, apple cake... you name it!  But I really don't think anything beats a classic apple pie.  

When I first ventured into gluten-free baking, I was too scared to make pastry from scratch, so I used to use a store-bought crust and top it with a streusel crumb.  That recipe is almost as delicious (I'll share it at some point in the future), but now that I found this shortcrust recipe from A Little Insanity, I'll never shy away from home-made pie crust again.  The secret is -would you believe it- an egg!  Yes, with the simple addition of one egg, this tender, flaky crust comes together almost as easily as it did when I used to make it with wheat flour.  And it tastes amazing!  

The rest of the pie is a snap - sliced apples, some lemon juice, sugar and spices and voila: you have a simple, gorgeous season-perfect pie! 

A note about the apples:  I am a firm believer in using apples that you enjoy eating in your pies.  If you like them raw, you'll like them cooked.  I usually use Granny Smith, Pink Lady or Braeburn (if I can get them), because firm, tart apples are my absolute favorite.  But this particular orchard always has amazing Honeycrisps, and I just couldn't pass them up.  Spoiler alter: they worked beautifully.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum (plus extra for rolling out)
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cut into pats
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

For the filling:

• 5 or 6 large apples of your choosing (see note above about kinds of apples)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

To top the pie:

• 1 beaten egg white
• 1 to 2 tablespoons demerara or raw sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
2. Make the crust (adapted from A Little Insanity's recipe): stir together the flour in salt in a large mixing bowl.  
3. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with the tips of your fingers, leaving some flat chunks of butter in tact (see the picture above for reference).  
4. Stir in the egg.  
5. Slowly add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon, until the dough sticks together and holds its shape.  Make sure the mixture isn't too dry and crumbly (it's better to be a bit too wet than too dry), or it will not roll out.
6. Turn the dough out onto a surface and cut in half.  Shape into two discs and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least half an hour. 
7. Make the filling: peel, core and slice the apples thin.  To keep from browning, sprinkle the apple slices with lemon juice as you work. 
8. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the apples and stir to combine.  Set the coated apples aside while you make the bottom crust.
9. Remove one dough disc from the refrigerator.  On a well-floured surface, roll out into a circle roughly 11 inches in diameter (and approximately 1/8 of an inch thick).  
10. Gently lay the dough into the pie plate (careful not to stretch it, or the crust will tear).  Trim any very rough edges.  It should overhang the edges of the plate slightly. 
11. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, and blind bake for 10 minutes.  Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
12. Roll out the other dough disc using the same method as the first, but making a slightly smaller circle (about 10 inches).  Using a bottle cap or a knife, cut out a small circle from the middle for a steam vent.  
13. Spoon the apple mixture into the bottom crust.  Lay the top crust over the apples and seal the edges together by crimping with a fork. (You may notice from the pictures that I forgot this critical step when I made this pie and I had some separation issues!)
14. Cut four slits in the top crust to vent.  Brush the beaten egg white over the top of the pie, and sprinkle with the demerara or raw sugar.
15. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the top begins to turn a light golden brown.  Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes and eat hot (my favorite) or refrigerate for later!  

Happy fall baking!