Gingery Apple Crumb Pie

Hello Folks. It's mid-August here in LA, and despite the fact that Summer is technically suppose to be fading into fall, its scorching outside. Global warming anyone?! But that's a topic to be debated in another blog.

Instead, let's talk about warm weather picnics and the yums 

Watermelon Yums

that we fill our tums with

Filling of Tums in action

 while on them.

Last weekend, my brother's family made the drive up to LA to spend a day with Mama T and I. We picnic-ed in the park and then spent a day at the Getty. Two of my favorite activities.

As such, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to bust out my tried and true Gingery Apple Crumb Pie recipe. I say crumb pie as I lack the skills and patience to actually make a proper crust. But crust or should I say crumbs aside, this apple pie is always a hit!

Ingredients:
Basic flaky Pie Crust or again, if like me, you need a little help,
1 store-bought pie crust
9-inch pie plate
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces
3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 lbs apples (about 5)--I usually use Granny Smith Apples
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
1. Set and oven rack in the lowest position and heat over to 375 degrees. Set pie crust in pie pan.

2. In a food processor, add the butter, 3/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Pulse until large clumps form. Transfer to a bowl and set in refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Peel apples with a pairing knife and thinly slice them. CHALLENGE: See if you can peel the entire apple in one straight peel. When I was 22, I wrote down "learn to peel apple skin in one entire peel" on my "To Do by 30" list. And guess what, I can do it! Check plus!

4. In a large bowl, toss the apples, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and the renaming 1/2 cup of sugar and tablespoon of flour.

5. Transfer apple mixture to the pie crust, sprinkle with crumb topping and place pie pan on a foiled lined baking sheet (this is to catch the apple gooey-ness that will surely seep out of the pie as it cooks down). Bake until pie top is golden brown and apples are tender, about 55 to 60 minutes.

Serves 8.