APPLE CRUMBLE CRUST PIE
A bottomless apple-crusted pie topped with a walnut, brown sugar and saffron crumble. Baked till bubbly and crisp, then drizzled with a cinnamon citric glaze, and finished with a sugar dusting!
Makes 19 inch pie – serves 6-8
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Pie filling:
7 red apples, peeled, cut in halves from end to end, then in halves again, cored and thinly sliced – large apples do not cook thoroughly in the pie, so the thinner the better for uniform baking results
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
1 t. ground coriander
2 t. cinnamon
light sprinkle of salt
Place all pie filling ingredients in large bowl. Toss to evenly coat the apple slices. Set aside, stirring up from bottom a couple times before placing into pie crust.
Crumble crust:
1 c. walnut halves
1 c. self-rising all purpose flour
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1 t. pink Himalayan salt
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. cinnamon
1 small bud-size bunch of saffron threads – or as much or little as you want
3 T. cold water
Place walnuts, flour, brown sugar and salt into food processor and process till evenly mealy.
Add oil, cinnamon, saffron. Process till mealy again.
Add water all at once and process till evenly crumbly. Transfer to bowl.
Assembly:
1-2 t. additional extra virgin olive oil – rubbed over entire inside surface of 9 inch pie plate
8-1/2 inch spring roll skin
orange zest
Place hot tap water into another pie plate or large shallow bowl. Insert spring roll skin and float till it begins to submerge by the gentle weight of your fingers and soften on the bottom side. Immediately flip it over and do the same – all fairly quickly – then lift out and line bottom of an oiled 9 inch pie plate with the skin. Pat it down gently to adhere to the oiled plate.
Now transfer all of your apple mixture into the pie plate on top of the skin and even out the apples.
Top with grated orange zest.
Spread crumble crust mixture evenly over top.
Place in preheated 375 degree oven.
Lay a square of aluminum foil flatly over the top, covering the pie without crimping the foil.
Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 20 minutes longer or till crumble crust browns nicely and liquid bubbles up from edges. Watch closely towards the end, since the crumble crust can burn quickly
Glaze:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. malic acid or citric acid
1 T. fresh squeeze orange juice from the orange you zested – plus more if needed to achieve a thin dripping glaze
In small cup combine all glaze ingredients and stir till completely dissolved.
When you remove pie from oven, place on rack and drizzle the glaze over the top.
If desired, sprinkle with granulated sugar – or not.
Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes: The rice skin is used to help gelatinize the apple liquid so it doesn’t spill out like water when cut. It further eliminates the need for a thickening agent which I like. It also eliminates the need for a bottom crust, saving on calories.
Steve loves this apple crumble pie!
CHEF DAVIES-TIGHT™ 