Recipe: Skillet Apple Pie (baked in a skillet or 13x9-inch baking dish)

SKILLET APPLE PIE

FOR THE CRUST:
1 cup (5 ounces) unbleached all‐purpose flour, plus extra for the work surface
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4‐inch pieces and chilled
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup apple cider (or reduced apple juice, see note*)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 pounds sweet and tart apples (about 5 medium), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2‐inch‐thick wedges (see note**)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons sugar
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (for serving)

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 3 pulses. Add the shortening and pulse until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 pulses. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with the butter bits no larger than small peas, about 10 pulses. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix, pressing down on the dough until the dough is slightly tacky and sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if the dough does not come together. Flatten the dough into a 4‐inch disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling.

WHEN READY TO MAKE THE PIE:
Adjust an oven rack to the upper‐middle position and heat the oven to 500 degrees.

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
Whisk the cider, maple syrup, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon (if using) together in a medium bowl until smooth. Heat the butter in a 12‐inch oven-safe skillet*** over medium‐high heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring two or three times, until the apples begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. (Do not fully cook the apples.) Remove the pan from the heat, add the cider mixture, and gently stir until the apples are well coated. Set aside to cool slightly.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to an 11‐inch circle.*** Roll the dough loosely around the rolling pin and unroll over the apple filling. Brush the dough with the egg white and sprinkle with the sugar. With a sharp knife, gently cut the dough into six pieces by making one vertical cut followed by two evenly spaced horizontal cuts (perpendicular to the first cut).

Bake until the apples are tender and the crust is a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating the skillet halfway through the baking time. Let cool for 15 minutes and serve.

Serve the skillet pie warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

NOTES:
*If you do not have apple cider, reduced apple juice may be used as a substitute; simmer 1 cup apple juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes).

**Use a combination of sweet, crisp apples such as Golden Delicious and firm, tart apples such as Cortland or Empire.

***If your skillet is not ovensafe, precook the apples and stir in the cider mixture as instructed, then transfer the apples to a 13 by 9‐inch baking dish. Roll out the dough to a 13 by 9‐inch rectangle and bake the skillet pie as instructed.

Makes 6-8 servings
Adapted from source: More Best Recipes (America's Test Kitchen) by Editors of Cook's Illustrated