APPLE SLAB

 This is my favourite way to make a quick apple pie, without the pie pan or  having too many ingredients. The original calls for a cookie sheet and immense mounds of apples and pastry, so this is my own version, wittled down a bit.

 Take your best pastry recip and make enough for two rounds to fit a pizza pan. I sometimes cheat and buy premade pastry. Makes it easier sometimes.  Whatever works best for you.

 Peel and cut in slices, 5 large Granny Smith apples, into a bowl with abot 1/2 cup lemon juice, tossing apple slices as you go. This keeps the fruit from browning. Add 4 tablespoons tapioca, 1/2 cup sugar and a god dash of cinnamon ( sorry,  I don't measure too many things, so the cinnamon amount is a guesstimate). Combine.

 Pile onto pastry in pizza pan . Dot with litle dabs os butter ( this keeps the pasty from being soggy)

 Seal with other pastry round, crimp edges up to secure filling, brush top of slab with beaten egg. Though, this time I had egg whites in a carton, in the fridge, so jus used some of that. Worked great. Poke in pastry with sharp knife.

Sprinkle with a mix of cinnamon and sgar ( a must) and then bake at 450 degrees for about 14 minutes to brown pastry. Turn down the heat to 35o nd bake abot 27 minutes after that. You can always add minutes if the slab is not completely done. This is sooooooooo good.

Apple Pie

CHRISTMAS APPLE PIE (2011)    (PASTRY RECIPE FOLLOWING)

5-6 cups  thinly sliced apples        
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup melted butter
3 tblsp flour
Sprinkle of cinnamon

1.      Combine everything ( except pastry), pile into shell.Taste apples. They are wonderful with sugar and brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled.  Note to self: make apples like this for snack. Yum.

2.      Dot with margarine.

3.      Cover with pastry and turn edges up.

4.      Wash with milk, or water , sprinkle with coarse sugar.

5.      Bake  at 375 degrees for about an hour. Test with knife to see if apples are done.

Serve with good French vanilla ice cream, sit by the Christmas tree, and enjoy

VANCOUVER ISLAND PASTRY: (Never fails. Good frozen in flat discs for later on)

6 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 lb chilled shortening
1 egg
1 tbsp vinegar
1 cup ice water

Combine flour, salt and cut up chilled lard into this mix.
Cut in with pastry cutter, till the mix resembles peas.
Mix the liquids together with the egg. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients, and dump in the liquids.

 Stir together , quickly, with a fork will a soft , and combine into a soft ball.

Divide this ball into 6 segments, flatten each one and wrap in plastic wrap. So easy. So convenient.

(These can now spend their short lives in the fridge, for 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.)