Oh kitchen and blog, how I’ve missed you. I am back from our 3-week honeymoon vacation in England and Italy. I must say, I didn’t miss much. Let’s be honest here, does anyone really look forward to coming home after a wonderful vacation? Sure, I missed my bed, my cats (who probably laid mostly on my bed), and such luxuries as clean clothes from my closet. But I wasn’t ready to come back to reality so soon. I was, however, excited to share some fun things I was able to do on my trip. It is all pretty much food related (duh)!
I had the awesome opportunity one day while we were in Tuscany to learn how to make traditional Tuscan eggless pasta from scratch. Here’s me with my lovely teacher, who was both patient and amazing. She even said I was a natural at dough rolling. I told them it was years of perogy making practice!
I also had some of the most amazing food at the villa where we stayed in Tuscany.
This was the lunch that greeted us upon arrival. So incredible!
And I cannot mention my trip to Italy without showing you the PIZZA!
This one had homemade buffalo mozzarella and spicy caramelized salami.
It was probably the spiciest pizza I’ve ever had!
It was delicious. And it made me chug my Italian beer.
Like, c’mon!
Carapina was my favourite gelato place in Florence and Rome.
They make all their gelato fresh every morning and have a dozen flavours at one time.
My favourite was the dark chocolate, hazelnut and marsala wine flavours shown above!
Truffles and mushrooms were in season while we were in Italy. They were everywhere and so delectable!
Pasta with truffles – get outta here! SO good.
The open air meat, seafood and produce markets were also total eye candy. I wanted to buy everything.
You know that place that served me that spicy pizza? Oh yeah, it’s also a mozzarella bar!
Here is mild, strong and smoked mozzarella, made fresh (of course).
Let’s all go back immediately!
As much as I loved dining out at a different restaurant for 3 weeks, I did miss my kitchen and making (healthy) food for ourselves. I also missed the food blogger community. And, of course, I missed my Mom 🙂
Claudia and I actually got together a few days before I left for Europe to make this apple pie. It was then that I deemed it “World’s Best Apple Pie”. Because it is. I mean, I might be biased? But I’m also a pretty good judge of food character (humble brag). The crust is so flaky and light, and the apple filling is warm, sweet and comforting. We made this particular apple pie with locally-grown apples from Claudia’s friend’s yard! Ah, the beauty of summer…which is slowly fading away. I recommend you try this apple pie immediately, and capture some of summer back into your lives.
You will need:
For the pie crust (makes two double crust pies):
5 cups flour
1 lb. shortening (I like Tenderflake)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 egg
For the apple pie filling (makes 4 cups, or enough for one 9-inch pie):
4 cups apples, sliced, peeled and cored
3 tbsp cornstarch
2/3 cup plus 2 tbsp apple juice, divided
1 cup white sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
Place sliced apples in a large stock pot or sauce pan.
Add your sugar to the apples.
Pour 2/3 cup of apple juice over the sugar and apples.
Bring mixture to a boil.
Boil for 5 minutes, until all the sugar and apple juice is dissolved and mixed.
In a small bowl, combine your cornstarch with 2 tbsp of apple juice.
Mix well until smooth and completely combined.
Add cornstarch mixture to your apples.
Boil for another few minutes until the mixture thickens.
Add your cinnamon and mix well.
Delicious.
Place apple filling into jars or a separate container to allow to cool completely.
You can store filling in sealed jars in the fridge for up to a month.
While the filling cools, make your pie dough.
Combine flour, salt, brown sugar and diced up shortening.
Cut the shortening into the dry ingredient mixture until fully incorporated.
Mix water, vinegar and egg together.
Pour into flour and shortening mixture.
Work dough with your hands and kneed slightly into a ball.
Because this recipe makes 2 double crust pie dough, you will need to separate the dough out into 4 equal discs.
Once you’ve done that, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least one hour.
This step is very important. Cold dough is a lot easier to work with and to roll out.
You can also store dough in the freezer as well and use until you need it.
After dough is chilled, roll it out on the counter.
Hint: Claudia uses a piece of plastic bag to aid in flipping the dough over.
Allow us to demonstrate:
Make sure your dough fits the 9-inch pie pan
Now flip!
Shape dough around the edges of the pie pan.
Poke holes in the bottom of the pie to allow for steam to escape.
Pour your cooled apple pie filling onto the bottom layer of the pie.
Repeat the same dough rolling and flipping technique as before with your second layer of dough.
Place it over your apple pie filling and shape around the pie pan, pinching the top layer edges with the bottom.
Cut slits into the top pie dough to allow for steam to escape.
Try to do a better pattern job than I did!
Place in the oven and bake in a 350 degree fahrehneit oven for 50 – 60 minutes, or until the top and edges are golden brown.
Should look like so.
Slice it up and serve to your family and friends!
But save a second piece for yourself at least.
You deserve it.
Enjoy!
- 5 cups flour
- 1 lb. shortening (I like Tenderflake)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 egg
- 4 cups apples, sliced, peeled and cored
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2/3 cup plus 2 tbsp apple juice, divided
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- Place sliced apples in a large stock pot or sauce pan. Add your sugar to the apples.
- Pour 2/3 cup of apple juice over the sugar and apples.
- Bring mixture to a boil.
- Boil for 5 minutes, until all the sugar and apple juice is dissolved and mixed.
- In a small bowl, combine your cornstarch with 2 tbsp of apple juice.
- Mix well until smooth and completely combined.
- Add cornstarch mixture to your apples.
- Boil for another few minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Add your cinnamon and mix well.
- Place apple filling into jars or a separate container to allow to cool completely.
- You can store filling in sealed jars in the fridge for up to a month.
- While the filling cools, make your pie dough.
- Combine flour, salt, brown sugar and diced up shortening.
- Cut the shortening into the dry ingredient mixture until fully incorporated.
- Mix water, vinegar and egg together.
- Pour into flour and shortening mixture.
- Work dough with your hands and kneed slightly into a ball.
- Because this recipe makes 2 double crust pie dough, you will need to separate the dough out into 4 equal discs.
- Once you've done that, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least one hour. This step is very important. Cold dough is a lot easier to work with and to roll out. You can also store dough in the freezer as well and use until you need it.
- After dough is chilled, roll it out on the counter. Make sure your dough fits the 9-inch pie pan
- Shape dough around the edges of the pie pan.
- Poke holes in the bottom of the pie to allow for steam to escape.
- Pour your cooled apple pie filling onto the bottom layer of the pie.
- Repeat the same dough rolling and flipping technique as before with your second layer of dough.
- Place it over your apple pie filling and shape around the pie pan, pinching the top layer edges with the bottom.
- Cut slits into the top pie dough to allow for steam to escape.
- Place in the oven and bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 50 - 60 minutes, or until the top and edges are golden brown.