3.14 Contest

The local newspaper recently had a pie contest. I heard about it at the last minute, and I didn't think I was going to enter anything. but then i got home, and faced the giant bag of apples from my friends tree. I had to make a pie anyway.... why not try something new?!? 
My first thought was a simple apple crumble pie with salted caramel topping. Then I thought apple pie with cheddar is good, so why not!
So I did. the first try was abit too appley, so i added some potato to the recipe to soak up some of the flavors and bOOm yum! I used a really simple sour cream pastry, but any pie shell would work


Apple Cheddar Pie

Dough
2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk ( if needed)
1/2 tsp salt
Alot of people are afraid of pastry, DON'T BE! the trick is to keep it cold, and you will be rewarded.

in a medium bowl combine the flour and the salt.
Cut the cold butter into 1" chunks, and mix into the flour with you hands, squishing the butter until it breaks into pea sized pieces. be sure to work quickly so the butter doesn't melt. (if you tend to have warm hands, running them under cold water first should help  but make sure you dry them well before you touch the flour lol), or use you can use a pastry cutter. believe it or not... i don't have one. actually I think I do have one, but I don't know where it is.
add the sour cream. I combine it with my hands until it just comes together.

The dough should be slightly dry, it will hydrate while it rests,
if it needs more liquid, and the milk, just until it barely forms a ball
wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest in the fridge at least one hour or over night.

Filling
4 cup onion diced
4 tbsp butter
5 cloves garlic
3 cup apples diced ~ hopefully from a nearby tree
3 cup potato diced ~ hopefully from a nearby garden... but you can use leftovers or even frozen hashbrowns I would suppose
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp sage
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp sugar
1-2 cups cheddar cheese grated

preheat your oven to 375

In a large pan on medium low heat melt the butter
dice onions and add them to the butter to sweatmince the garlic and add to the sweaty onions




dice the potatoes ( I leave the skin on for nutritional value, besure to wash well, or peel if you prefer)and add to the onion mixture (if using leftover or precooked potatoes, add at the end of the cooking process with the apples)
add salt, pepper, thyme,sage, and sugar. stir well.

at this point, i would give the potatoes afew extra minutes to cook, and roll out my pie crust. once rolled and in the pan, place in the freezer. 






peel and core apples, dice and add to the pan
sprinkle flour over top, and stir well
turn off the heat

for extra cheesiness add 1 cup of grated cheddar to the mixture (Or Gruyere, or Parmesan...? go crazy its your dinner!)
the apples should cool down the mixture enough to put it in the pie shell. the potatoes should be firm, but slightly yielding. press it down to make it compact, and top with 1 cup of grated cheddar.

bake for about one hour.

ENJOY!!!













It was different and flavorful, and used up lots of apples.  it didn't win the contest, but i still like it. By the way, if you or anyone you know has an excess of fruit or veggies this time of year PLEASE tell them about Operation Fruit Rescue ! 
we ended up eating this pie for acouple days, I think it would be great as a fun alternative at a pot luck. Let me know if you try it, what you think 8)

it must have been good