Thanksgiving is Coming: Part 3

Even though Thanksgiving has come and gone, I can't fully welcome the Christmas season until I share a few more recipes that I enjoyed during my year of 4 Thanksgivings.

Last Tuesday, before we all headed home for the holidays, some of my friends and I gathered for Friendsgiving. When the idea was originally proposed, I was in love from the start. Gathering with some of my favorite people while dining on my favorite food, what more could I ask for?! Naturally, I eagerly signed up to bring dessert. With a plethora of fall recipes still pinned and waiting for me to try them, I was thrilled to have another opportunity to test dry a new fall dessert. 

Taking a break from my two and a half months of pumpkin baking (and I'm not even close to tired of pumpkin, if you can believe it), I switched to apples for this round. I'll admit, I was frustrated with how long this recipe ended up taking (I made it after work one evening and it ended up requiring way more energy than I was prepared to expend), but after tasting the results, it was well worth the hour and a half I put into it. I'm a believer that apples are a dual fall and winter dessert ingredient and will definitely be on the look out for another opportunity to make this one before spring. 

I can't wait to share all the fun recipes I made for the big day, but in the mean, hope you enjoy this Apple Slab Pie!

Apple Slab Pie

Ingredients

*Adapted from BHG

• Crust
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup butter-flavored shortening (I used this easy butter substitute)
• 8 - 10 Tbsp cold water
• Filling
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 1/2 pounds tart cooking apples (such as Rome Beauty or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (10 cups)
• Crumb Topping
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, diced

Pretty apples, ready to be cut to pieces

Preparation

1. Grease/flour a 13x9-inch baking pan, set aside

2. For dough: In a large bowl, stir together the 2-1/4 cups flour and the salt. Mix in shortening (or butter if using alternate version from above) with flour and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs

3. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of the cold water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl

4. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon cold water at a time, until all of the flour mixture is moistened. Using your fingers, gently knead the dough just until a ball forms

5. Preheat oven to 375 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 13x9 inch rectangle. Wrap it around the rolling pin; unroll it into the prepared baking pan

6. Ease dough into the pan and up the sides, being careful not to stretch it. Trim dough to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pan. Fold dough edge over and flute as desired


7. In an extra-large bowl, combine sugar, the 1/3 cup flour, and the cinnamon; add apples. Toss lightly until apples are coated. Spoon apple mixture into dough-lined pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle with Crumb Topping (pan will be full)

Filling mixed and ready to be added to dough

8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender. If necessary to prevent over-browning, cover top with foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking. Cool slightly in pan on a wire rack

Pre-bake

9.Serve warm or cool completely (I served it to the gang the next day chilled, but also warmed a leftover piece and it was delicious both ways)

Digging in at Friendsgiving (sorry for the iphone shot). Yum.