This is a fun and different take on the classic apple pie, adding a sweet pecan glaze to the “bottom” crust.
For similar recipes highlighting farm-fresh produce, check out The Catskills Farm to Table Cookbook by Courtney Wade.
Upside-Down Apple Pie
Serves 12
Ingredients
For the Glaze:
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon corn syrup
¼ cup pecan halves
For the Crust Pastry:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup lard
4–6 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling:
⅓ cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups sliced, peeled apples
Directions
In a 9-inch pie pan, combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup, and mix well. Spread mixture evenly in bottom of pan and arrange pecans over mixture.
To create pastry, combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut lard into flour with a pastry blender or fork, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water over flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, while tossing lightly with a fork until dough is moist enough to form into a ball. Divide in half. Shape each dough into a ball and flatten into a ½-inch thickness, rounding the edges. Place bottom pastry over mixture in pan, gently pressing to fit pan.
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon; mix well. Arrange half of apple slices in pastry-lined pan; sprinkle with half of sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining apple slices and sugar mixture. Top with remaining pastry. Fold edge of top pastry under bottom pastry and press together to seal edges. Cut several slits in top of pastry.
Bake at 425°F for 8 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake an additional 25 to 35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Loosen edge of pie and carefully invert onto serving plate. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
