Apple Pie Recipe

I am surprised at the increase in quality of apple pies that are now available in stores. I think places like Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee make wonderful apple pies. I even bought a really good frozen one a few weeks ago and baked it at home. Mass produced apple pies 20 years ago just weren't that good. Today many of them are very good. With that being said, there is no substitute for homemade apple pie. It is a great activity to do with family and friends: the making, the smell, and the eating.

This apple pie recipe was taken off a bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup decades ago. I made this apple pie for Amber on the night I proposed to her. Fifteen years later, it's still her favorite. I have probably made about 100 of these pie over the years.



First things first. An apple corer / peeler / slicer is a wonderful invention. Twenty bucks will save your fingers, save you a lot of time, and allow you to be the proud owner of one of the coolest gadgets ever. With one swipe, the corer / peeler / slicer gives you perfectly cut apples. Buy one here.

Speaking of apples, the quality of your pie will be directly correlated to the quality of your apples. Apples for apple pie need to be at least a little tart or they will deteriorate during the baking process. Granny Smith and McIntosh are traditionally the apples used for apple pie. Other apples that work well are Jonathan, Fuji, and Golden Delicious. I generally use about two-thirds Granny Smith and mix in a little Fuji or Golden Delicious. Do not use Red Delicious apples. They just don't work well in pies.

Now about the pie shell. Pie shells can be anything from simple to complex to make. I usually make a graham cracker crust. Often I'll go buy a graham cracker crust in the grocery section or a traditional crust in the frozen section. I always make or buy the over sized crust. Life is too short for small pie. Don't worry about the top part of the pie...I'll get to that in a little bit.

The Pie Filling

• 1/3 cup Ketchup. I use Heinz out of respect for the origins of the recipe.
• 2.5 teaspoons of lemon juice

Mix these two ingredients together and put them in a large bowl. The acid in the lemons and tomatoes will keep the cut apples nice and crisp. The sugar in the ketchup will add some needed sweetness to the tart apples. Don't be grossed out by the ketchup. You won't taste it.

• 5 cups sliced apples - 7 cups for a lager shell
• Sugar - to taste (Probably about one Tablespoon)

You are probably wondering what five cups of apples looks like. This is generally five pretty good sized apples. If you still have questions: look at your pie shell. You will need to fill the pie shell up with apples. The more the better. I usually pile them an inch and a half to two inches above the top of the pie shell. They will reduce a little bit and I just love lots of apple in my pie.

Put the apples in the ketchup / lemon juice mixture immediately after peeling / coring / slicing them. If you don't have access to a core / peeler / slicer then you will want to take the the skin off, remove the core, and cut the apple into slices. The slices shouldn't be too thin (they will fall apart) or too thick (they won't cook all the way through). They should look like the picture below. (In the picture the apples are halved. You can also cut the apples into thirds or quarters if you like your pie a little less chunky.)

Depending on the tartness of the apples and your personal taste, you may want to add a little sugar. You won't need to add too much though. I usually just sprinkle the apple / ketchup / lemon juice mixture with about a Tablespoon of sugar and let the flavors blend when I am making the top crust.

Top Crust

This part is essential. Regardless of the pie shell, this top crust is part of why this pie is so unique.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Just under a full stick (about 7 Tablespoons) of butter or margarine (softened)

Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter (or margarine, if you must) until thoroughly mixed. I really work the dough. It should almost have the consistency of sugar cookie dough when you are done.

Almost There

Fill the pie shell with apples. Cover with the dough mixture. You may want to roll the dough out so it is fairly thin or you can just make the dough thin with your hands and cover the pie one section at a time. Just make sure the entire pie is covered and that no gaps in the dough exist.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Let it cool for a little bit if you like it warm or overnight if you like it cold. And enjoy! It is a wonderful pie. Best served with friends, family, and vanilla ice cream.

I'll put my recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie up in the next week or so. It is incredible.