Pork And Apple Pie With Cheddar Sage Crust Food

PORK AND APPLE PIE WITH CHEDDAR-SAGE CRUST

Steps:

• 1. First make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sage, and salt until well combined. Sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour mixture and use your fingers to work them in (you want to rub your thumb against your fingertips, smearing the butter as you do so). Do this until the mixture looks like cornmeal with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining. Stir in the cheese with a fork until evenly distributed. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and stir with a fork until the dough begins to come together. If needed, add an additional tablespoon or two of ice water (you shouldn't need much more). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead three times. Gather the dough into a ball, then divide into two portions, making one slightly bigger than the other. Press each portion down into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• 2. Make the filling: In a skillet over medium-low heat, cook the apples without any oil, stirring gently, until they just begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a dish and set aside. Add oil to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, pork, brown sugar, salt, and spices. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until it is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let the meat mixture cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Add the breadcrumbs and pulse five times until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand. Set aside.
• 3. Prepare the crust: Unwrap the larger disk of dough and put it in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Cover the dough with a second piece of parchment. Roll out, working from the center, to a 13-inch circle. Peel off the top piece of parchment and transfer the dough to a pie plate, peeled side down. Peel off the remaining parchment and press the crust into the sides of the pie plate, draping any excess over the edge. Unwrap the smaller disk of dough and put it in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper. Cover the dough with a second piece of parchment. Roll out, working from the center, to an 11-inch circle. Set aside.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 425°F and set a rack to the second-to-bottom position. Fill the pie: Pour the meat mixture into the bottom crust and gently smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange the cooked apple slices over the meat, pressing down to make the whole construction as smooth and neat as possible. Peel the top sheet of parchment off the top crust. Transfer, peeled side down, to the pie, then peel off the remaining parchment. Using a sharp knife, make two 3-inch slashes in the crust to allow steam to escape. Fold the edges of the bottom crust up over the top crust and crimp the edges to seal. Brush the crust with the egg wash and decorate with sage leaves, if desired. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and bake until the crust is golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool 25 minutes before serving.

APPLE PORK PIE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour and salt; mix well. Add cheese; toss to coat. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water only until moistened. Form into a ball. Roll two-thirds of the ball into a 11-in. circle; place in a 9-in. pie pan, lining the bottom and sides. Roll remaining pastry into an 8-in. circle; cut into eight wedges. Chill pastry shell and wedges while preparing filling. , Brown pork in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add water, onion, sage and salt. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until meat is tender. Combine flour and milk to form a smooth paste; gradually add to pork mixture. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Spoon half into prepared shell. Top with apples and sprinkle with sugar. Spoon remaining pork mixture over apples. Arrange pastry wedges on top. , Bake, uncovered, at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 30-40 minutes longer or until pastry is lightly browned and crisp.

SAUSAGE AND APPLE PIE IN A CHEDDAR CRUST

Steps:

• *Used a combination of Granny Smiths (for their tart flavor and crisp texture) and Cortlands (for their sweetness and softer texture). If you use all Granny Smiths or all Cortlands (or other kinds of apples), adjust the amount of sugar to your taste.
• CRUST:.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Using an electric mixer, a pastry blender or fork, or your fingers, cut and mix the cheese and butter into the flour mixture until the fat and flour form a crumbly mixture. Add the lemon juice or vinegar, then sprinkle on just enough water so that you can gather the dough into a cohesive ball.
• Divide the dough in half, and flatten each half into a 1-inch thick round. Wrap one of the rounds in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate it while you work with the other. Transfer the remaining dough to a well-floured work surface. Roll it into a 12-inch circle, using as few strokes of the rolling pin as possible; the fewer times you touch the crust at this point, the more tender it'll be when it's baked. Transfer the circle of dough to a 9-inch pie plate (a giant spatula works great here), and gently fit it to the pan's contours. Again, if you push and stretch the dough too much during this stage, it'll shrink when you put it in the oven.
• FILLING:.
• Peel, core and slice the apples. In a large, shallow frying pan, cook the apples with the salt, cinnamon, cider or juice, and sugar for 15 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the liquid is syrupy. Add the cooked sausage.
• Spray the crust with some nonstick vegetable oil spray (this helps it stay crisp), then spoon the filling into the crust. Roll out the remaining crust, and center it over the filling. Press the edges of the top and bottom crust together, fold them under (onto the top of the pan's rim), and crimp.
• BAKE:.
• The pie in a preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, till the crust is very brown. Remove the pie from the oven, and serve it warm or at room temperature.