NOVEMBER 24, 1997: 

Pennsylvania Dutch Sour Cream Apple Pie

• 1^1/2 cups flour
• ¹/2 tsp salt
• 3 Tbs sugar
• ¹/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut in chunks
• 2-4 Tbs ice cold apple juice to bind

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in the cold butter chunks with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles pea gravel. Carefully add the apple juice a little at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour before rolling. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and place in a deep 10-inch pie pan, crimping the edges in a decorative pattern. Chill the pie shell while filling is assembled.

Filling:

• 1¹/4 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• ³/4 cup sugar
• ¹/4 cup flour
• ¹/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 7 Granny Smith (or other crisp, tart apples) peeled, cored, and sliced

Preheat oven to 400deg. F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream and the egg. Combine the sugar and flour and whisk into the liquid mixture. Add the salt and vanilla. Place the apple slices in the custard as they are sliced. Pour the apple custard into the prepared pie shell, place on a cookie sheet, and bake for 10 minutes at 400deg. F to set the crust. Lower the heat to 350deg. F and bake for 40 minutes more. While pie is baking, prepare topping.

Topping:

• 1 cup flour
• ¹/2 cup sugar
• ¹/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• a dash of salt
• 1 cup walnut pieces
• 6 Tbs melted butter (approx)

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and carefully add melted butter, working with hands to form a crumbly topping. When the pie has baked 40 minutes, remove from oven, completely cover the apples with topping and return to oven for 10 minutes more at 350deg. F. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. This pie must be stored in the refrigerator but it tastes best at room temperature or warmed just a bit. It will serve 10 people and there are rarely any leftovers.

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