This version of an old-fashioned staple comes from The Junior League of Denver’s “Creme de Colorado” cookbook. It’s relatively simple, needing only a bottom crust, but beautiful, with a nutty, golden crumble topping that is fragrant and delicious. Makes six to eight servings.
Pie
1 9-inch or 10-inch deep-dish Best Ever Pastry Shell (recipe below)
1 cup sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Topping
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup chopped walnuts
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
Directions
Make the pie shell first. It needs to chill for one hour
In a large bowl, combine sour cream, egg, vanilla, sugar, salt and flour, stirring until well blended. Stir in apples Pour into unbaked pastry shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 30 minutes
Combine all topping ingredients, blending until mixture resembles coarse meal. Spoon topping over pie and bake at 350 degrees for an additional 15-20 minutes or until filling is bubbly.
Best Ever Pastry Shell
(Makes 2 10-inch deep-dish pie shells)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups Crisco
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon white vinegar
5 tablespoons whole milk.
With a pastry blender or a fork, combine flour, Crisco and salt until the mixture resembles course meal. In a small bowl, mix the egg, vinegar and milk: add to the flour mixture, mixing only until dough holds together in a ball. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out dough. Turn onto lightly-greased pie plate. Trim to a 1-inch overhang and flute edges. You can freeze the second pie crust.
