Apple Sage Gouda Pie
The sage and cheese flavors in this pie are very subtle, savory enough to make the pie stand out without distracting from its sweet apple essence. The recipe comes from the Sister Pie cookbook, by Detroiter Lisa Ludwinski.
Ingredients
Aged Gouda Pie Pastry
Filling and Assembly
Directions
Aged Gouda Pie Pastry
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Put a few ice cubes in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Add cider vinegar and enough cold water to fill. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and kosher salt.
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Chop butter into half-inch cubes. Add to flour mixture and toss to coat. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub butter into flour. Turn the bowl and toss the mixture occasionally so you don't miss any butter. The blender will clog occasionally; clean it out with your fingers or a butter knife. Stop when the largest chunks are pea-size and the rest of the mixture looks like canned Parmesan cheese. Stir in Gouda cheese.
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Fish out ice, then evenly drizzle 1/2 cup vinegar-water mixture over flour mixture. (You probably won't need the remainder, but save it in case your pastry is very dry.) Toss with a fork until you can't see pools of liquid. Switch to hands: Scoop up as much of the mixture as you can, then smoosh it back into the bowl. It's OK to be a bit aggressive. Pressure will bring the mixture into a cohesive mass more effectively than water. Rotate the bowl a quarter-turn and repeat, as if kneading. When the dry bits at the bottom are gone, stop.
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Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and, if needed, knead a couple more times. Cut in half. Gently pat each portion into a 2-inch-thick disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or, ideally, overnight before rolling. (You can freeze discs up to 1 year; thaw 1 full day in the refrigerator before using.)
Filling and Assembly
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For filling: In a large mixing bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and sage, massaging to release the sage's natural oils. Add brown sugar, tapioca starch, nutmeg, cinnamon and kosher salt. Add sugar mixture to apples; toss with your hands to coat. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine turbinado sugar and flour; set aside.
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Unwrap one disc of pastry and place it on a lightly floured surface. Bang the dough with your rolling pin about 4 times, from left to right. Flip and bang left to right again. Begin rolling the pastry from the center forward, using less pressure on the edge. Every few rolls, rotate the disc a quarter-turn. If pastry starts to stick, lift it gently and sprinkle more flour underneath. If the top gets sticky, flip the disc over. Continue rolling and rotating until the circle is 12 to 13 inches across. Loosely fold the circle in half and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Unfold the dough and gently but snugly press it into the corners. If any dough hangs over by more than 2 inches, trim it with kitchen scissors. (Use those scraps to patch holes or bolster spots where you don't have much overhang.)
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Roll out the second disc of pastry into a 10-inch circle (or follow the directions for a lattice-top pie, above, right). Slide the circle onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the pastry shell and pastry top for 30 minutes.
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To assemble: Sprinkle sugar-flour mixture evenly over the bottom of the pie shell, followed by apple mixture. Dot apples with butter cubes. Top with the circle of pastry. Roll bottom pastry up and inward, enclosing the edge of the pastry top to form a thick rim. Crimp to seal. Transfer assembled pie to the freezer for 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°. Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the lowest oven rack. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water. Remove pie from the freezer and brush all over with egg mixture. Use a paring knife to cut steam vents in the top crust. Bake until crust is evenly golden brown, about 20 minutes. To prevent over-browning, loosely cover pie with foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325° and continue baking until juices are bubbling in the center, 60 to 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 4 to 6 hours before serving.
*Shopping Tip
Not to be confused with tapioca pearls, tapioca flour (sometimes labeled tapioca starch) is powdery like cornstarch. It's a good thickener for pies because it doesn't cloud the filling. Bob's Red Mill is one widely available brand.
**How to Make a Lattice Top
Sister Pie's wide lattice is great for beginners. After making pastry, shape one of the dough portions into a 6x3-inch rectangle (not a disc). Wrap and chill as directed. Roll into a 10x18-inch rectangle. Cut into six 3x10-inch strips. Chill on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 30 minutes. Use 5 or 6 strips to weave a top over the filled pie. Trim ends flush with the rim of the pie plate. Roll up the pastry overhang to seal in the lattice ends and form a thick rim. Crimp to seal.