Apple Walnut Crumble Pie by Chef Ray Arpke of Euphemia Haye, Longboat Key, Florida
Serves 8-10
Recipe courtesy of Chef Ray Aparke, Euphemia Haye
Pastry:
2 cups cake flour
1/4 cup shortening or lard
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup ice water
Crumble topping:
1 1/2 lb soft butter
1/2 lb sugar
1 lb cake flour
vanilla to taste
Apple walnut filling:
12 cups (3 pounds) of 1-inch apple slices
1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 dash each ground nutmeg, clove, ginger and allspice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp flour
For the pastry, place the cake flour, butter and salt into a stainless steel bowl. Cut the shortening and butter into flour until it all has a mealy consistency. Add ice water and mix with your fingers to form a dough. Form into a ball, flatten with your hands and place on a well-floured flat surface. Flour the top of the dough well and roll out into about a 13-14-inch round. Place the dough into a floured 10-inch pie pan and flute the edges.
Then combine all of the crumble topping ingredients in a mixer with the paddle in place, and mix at low speed until it “crumbles”. Cool and set aside.
For the apple-walnut filling, place the sliced apples in a non-reactive bowl and sprinkle walnuts, spices and sugar over the top. Toss the apple mixture and mix well. Add flour and toss well. Let mixture rest for 10 minutes. Toss well again. Mound the apple mixture in the pie shell. Top with crumble so they are completely covered. Bake at 350°F for 70-80 minutes until the pie is baked through and browned evenly. If crumble topping is browning too fast, cover with foil until almost done. Serve with a dollop of good quality ice cream.
