Potluck Pass-Along Apple Pie
Stella Otto is an award winning author of two books and numerous magazine articles.
This recipe is featured in How to Choose Apple Varieties for the Home Orchard
In the hustle and bustle of harvesting all the ripe fruit from the orchard and garden, time for elaborate cooking takes a back burner in my kitchen. That’s why I love the recipe for Potluck Pass-Along Apple Pie so much. It’s super-quick, uses ingredients I always have on hand, and it never fails me. Every time I bake it and take it, someone asks for the recipe. Its mix of varieties — tart, sweet, and firm — creates the most delicious pie. I usually use Jonagold or Jonathan, Golden Delicious, and Idared or Northern Spy, depending on what’s in season.
- Servings Makes one 24 cm (9½ inch) pie
Ingredients
- Oil or nonstick spray, for pie plate
- 4 to 5 firm baking apples, a mix of varieties
- 200 grams (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon) sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 120 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 177 ml (¾ cup) melted butter
- 1 egg
- 57 grams (½ cup) chopped English walnuts, pecans, or other nuts
- Pinch of salt
- 1 scant teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 177° C (350° F). Lightly oil or spray a pie plate. Quarter and core the apples, but do not peel. Slice the apples about .6 cm (¼ inch) thick.
2. Alternating varieties, fill the pie plate two-thirds full with sliced apples. (A little extra does not hurt. This recipe is very forgiving.) Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the cinnamon over the apple slices.
3. Mix together the flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, butter, egg, nuts, salt, and vanilla to make a thick batter. Pour and spread it evenly over the apples.
4. Bake until the pie is golden brown, about 45 minutes. If you use particularly juicy or extra apples, the pie may need to bake a few extra minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving. This is fine served cold and is easy to take to a picnic or potluck. Enjoy!
Stella Otto
After Stella Otto received her B.S. in horticulture from Michigan State University, she worked at one of largest tree fruit nurseries in the United States and a tart cherry orchard near Traverse City, Michigan, the cherry capitol of the world. She and her husband eventually started their own diversified fruit farm in northern Michigan. Author of the award-winning The Backyard Orchardist and The Backyard Berry Book, she has written articles for numerous magazines, appeared on the Discovery Channel, and been interviewed on NPR and other gardening radio programs. She can be found cultivating fruitful information at her website The Backyard Fruit Gardener.
Courtesy photo
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