Shelly Young's Best Apple Pie

Shelly Young peels apples.

Shelly Young’s best apple pie

By Pamela O’Meara

Photos by Pamela O’Meara

With fall coming and the apple season approaching, I’d like to share an apple pie recipe from the Chopping Block on Chicago’s near north side. Owner Shelly Young, who runs the busiest cooking school in Chicago, demonstrated how to make her mouth-watering apple pie in a cast iron skillet, which she said cooks the bottom crust evenly. Then she gave us all a generous serving of her delicious pie, which was full of thick apple slices, not the goo often found in store-bought pies.

Outside the Chopping Block in Chicago.

. "Pies have two purposes – dessert and breakfast the next day," she said with a chuckle and offered to give us her recipe.

For more information go to http://www.thechoppingblock.net.

Apple Pie

Preheat:                        375º

Prep time:                     20 minutes

Bake time:                    1 – 1 1/2 hours

Makes:                          One 9” pie.

3½ pounds                    Apples (Granny Smith or Pippin), peeled, cored and cut into 1/2” wedges

1/3 cup                          All-purpose flour

1 – 1 1/2 cups               Sugar

1 teaspoon                   Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon                Fine sea salt

1 recipe                         Pie or tart dough

1 1/2 tablespoons         Unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Shelly puts the apple mixture into a skillit

As needed                    Heavy whipping cream, for garnish

As needed                    Sugar, for garnish

1.        Prepare ingredients:

           -Toss apples, flour, sugar (vary amount depending upon taste of apples), cinnamon and salt in a large bowl to mix. 

           -Let sit while rolling dough.

                                     

2.        Roll out pie dough:

        -Divide chilled dough into two unequal parts (about 2/3rds for bottom crust and 1/3^rd for the top)

        -Place the smaller portion of dough in the refrigerator.

-Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll out bottom crust to ~1/8” thick, being

         certain to lift and turn the dough occasionally to ensure it does not stick.

        -Roll dough onto rolling pin, lift, and place into 9” cast iron pan. 

        -Gently push the dough to fit the pie dish, allowing excess to hang.

3.           Assemble the pie:

           -Add filling to the pie.

           -Sprinkle pieces of butter on top of the filling.

           -Remove smaller portion of dough from the refrigerator and roll into a 1/8” circle.

           -Insert a knife in several places through the top crust to create vents.

           -Place top potion of dough over filling and trim excess crust, leaving about 1” excess.

           -Close crust by folding over and pinching excess or using a fork to crimp.

           -Brush top of pie with heavy cream and sprinkle generously with sugar.

4.        Bake the pie:

                       -Place pie on a baking sheet covered in parchment and bake until filling is bubbly in the center,

                        apples are tender and top crust is golden brown, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

                       -Allow pie to cool before cutting and serving.

Pie or Tart Dough

Prepared by:           Partners

Prep time:               10 minutes

Makes:                   One double crust pie or two tarts

2 cups                    All-purpose flour

1-2 tablespoons      Sugar

Pinch                      Fine sea salt

6 oz (1½ sticks)      Unsalted butter, chilled

¼ cup                     Shortening, chilled

¼ - 1/3 cup             Cold water

1.      Prepare ingredients:

         -Put flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

         -Cut butter and shortening into small pieces and add to processor.

2.      Mix:

         -Pulse mixture until crumbly and butter is in small pieces throughout the flour.

         -Working quickly, start processor and add cold water until the mixture just forms a ball.

3.      Chill:

         -Turn out dough onto a work surface and flatten into a disk.

         -Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

Shelly's pie is ready to eat.