Apple Sour Cream slab pie
When fall arrives and the air is brisk, you know it’s apple season and time to heat up the oven and start making pies. The best apples are the ones you grow or pick yourself, so try and seek out the heirloom varieties grown in your area. My favorite is the Arkansas Black, known for its tart and crisp flavor. I like a blend of sweet and tart, crisp and tender apples for my idea of the perfect pie, so I add to the tart, crisp Arkansas Black a tender, sweet apple like Macoun or Empire.
Makes one 12 x 8-inch slab pie/ Serves 8-10
1 recipe Hand Pie Crust (see below)
6 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced tart and sweet apples (4-5 apples)
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Egg wash made with 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon milk
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit until it is easy to work, about 10 minutes. Divide the dough in half. On a piece of lightly floured parchment paper, roll each half into a 9 x 14-inch rectangle. Place each sheet, separated by parchment paper or plastic wrap, on a rimmed baking pan and refrigerate.
While the crust is chilling, in a large bowl, slice and toss the apples with the lemon zest and juice. Stir in the sour cream. In a separate small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and toss to mix. Pour the sugar mixture over the apples and stir to combine.
Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and separate the sheets, leaving one sheet of pastry on the baking pan. Spoon the apple mixture onto the middle of the sheet on the pan, leaving about 1 inch all the way around the outer edge. Top the apple mixture with the butter and brush the pastry edges with the egg wash. Place the other sheet of pastry over the apples so that the edges meet, and cut off any excess dough to make an even rim all the way around. Press the edges with a lightly floured fork to seal. Decorate the op of the pie, if desired, with any leftover trimmings. Brush the pastry with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and cut 4-5 vents in the top. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°.
Place the baking pan with the pie on the center rack in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375° and continue to bake 40-45 minutes more, rotating halfway through, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm, topped with homemade ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.