Two kinds apples—one sweet, one tart—briefly simmered with ginger, cinnamon, and apple cider transform into a marvelous pie filling.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider
2 Granny Smith apples (diced)
2 Golden Delicious apples (diced)
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick ) unsalted butter (diced and cold)
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
pinch salt
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Preparation
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Place flour, sugar, and salt into a food processor fitted with the steel (or pastry) blade and run for 15 seconds. Add butter and pulse until butter is cut into pea-sized pieces. In a bowl whisk the eggs and the yolk and add to flour mixture. Pulse until clumps form. Turn out onto a table and knead for 1 minute or until dough becomes smooth. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
Melt butter in a skillet set on medium heat. Add sugar and cook for 5 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Add apple cider and cook for another minute. Stir in the apples and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes. Add cinnamon and lemon juice and cook for 10 minutes or until apples are tender. Turn out on a sheet pan to cool.
For the egg wash, place the ingredients into a bowl and whisk vigorously until the egg whites and yolks are mixed together.
Place cinnamon and sugar into a bowl and mix until well-blended.
Dust a clean surface with flour and roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 4 inch rounds. Brush egg wash around the edges of the dough. Place approximately 3 tablespoons of chilled apple filling on dough. Fold over into half moon shapes. Using the tines of a fork seal all of the edges. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Place vegetable oil in a pan about 1 inch deep. Heat to about 360 degrees or until flour immediately bubbles when sprinkled in oil. Lower the pies (a few at a time) into the hot oil (do not crowd!) Cook pies about a minute and a half per side or until golden brown. Remove and place on paper towels. Toss on cinnamon sugar mixture and serve.
