Pi(e) Day!

Four tasty pies were presented and circulation services assistant, Kaitlin, prevailed as winner with her blackberry pie! Upon winning the coveted traveling cooking contest trophy, Kaitlin explained that she’s learning the family tradition of pie making – her grandmother baked two pies a day while working the family farm, feeding all the farm hands at lunch! Enjoy the pie recipes below.

Crust:
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cooking oil, preferably olive oilMix together and add:
1/2 – 3/4 cup of water (this is the tricky part, start with 1/2 cup then add sparingly until dough can be rolled; not too sticky to roll but not so dry that it won’t stay together. This will vary based on humidity and the quality of the flour).

Divide the dough. You will use a little more than half to line a 9″ pie pan. Roll it out (easier to do between 2 sheets of waxed paper), then line the pan.  Cut off excess, but leave enough on the edges to crimp. Add leftovers to the remainder of the dough and roll out for the top of the pie.

Filling:
5 cup peeled and sliced tart apple (I used granny smiths, approximately 6 small apples)
1 cup of sugar
1 tbsp of cinnamon

Mix together and put into the bottom crust. Dot with butter.
Top with crust, crimp edges, then slice a couple of vent holes. Sprinkle the top with a little sugar.
Bake at 425 degrees fahrenheit or until golden brown.
Enjoy! We recommend either serving with vanilla ice cream or a slice of sharp cheddar.

from the cookbook Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook: 2,000 Recipes from 20 Years of America’s Most Trusted Cooking Magazine – available through interlibrary loan

1. Bake a pie crust.
2. Make a box of pudding (the kind you cook) following the directions on the package.
3. Pour the pudding in the pie crust.
4. Serve with whipped cream or whipped topping.