*Nana's Best Loved Apple Pie! *

So, this is it...  

This is the day I reveal the recipe to the best apple pie-- ever!!!  (Well, at least it is in this family!)  This is Nana's apple pie, and it's basically the best dessert in my husband's family!  This Apple Pie was one of the very first posts I put up on The Cozy Little Kitchen, and I didn't share the recipe.  Now I am. :}

Starting 10 yrs. ago when Mr. Cozy and I began our committed dating relationship, I swiftly found out that Nana's apple pie was his very favorite dessert, understandably so, and he said that nobody can make it like Nana.

Well, my goal was to someday make it just as well as she does!

The first time I made it was for his 18th birthday. You have to realize that I had not even had the pleasure of  having this apple pie to eat yet! I thought I would surprise him by calling up Nana and getting her recipe for it and baking it for a special birthday surprise. 

Little did I know that no one else makes this pie in the family.  It's like a sacred recipe or something--others are afraid to touch it!

I was thrilled to present the pie to him, and the first thing he says is...

"It doesn't look like Nana's."

Can you believe it??  You have to realize that my husband is a very kind person, and usually sensitive to my feelings.

Not that day, Ha!

(I can laugh about it now.)

I didn't realize what I was up against, trying to make this famous dessert!  Don't worry, he ate it and of course said that he liked it and how thoughtful it was for me to make it.

But I could tell, that it wasn't like Nana's.

After her mentoring me on the art of baking family pies and cakes, several times making it, and 10 years later....I can almost say, I think it tastes like Nana's!!!  I have actually heard my sweet Mr. Cozy also say those words! :)

Some basic requirements for this delicious pie are two simple things.

1. Jonathan apples:  they are the perfect blend of tart and sweet and melt like buhtta!  My sad attempt of an SNL impression. Too bad these apples are only around in the autumn months!

2. Very thinly sliced apples.  I couldn't achieve such thin slices when I first started cooking, but lots of practice and a better knife has allowed me to make them very thin!  A kitchen mandolin also works, but does take away a bit of nostalgia that I like when making apple pie.

The combination of the thinly sliced Jonathan apple produces a beautiful blend of all the butter from the crumble top and cinnamon to cook down the apples, making each bite melt in your mouth!

 If you want a new to you, old fashioned apple pie recipe to try please consider this one.

It's really that good!!  It sums up the feeling of a brisk fall day, colorful leaves, gathering pumpkins and a hayride all into one bite, if that makes sense!  It will fill your kitchen with the best aroma and hopefully your heart with a simple joy!

I share with you a family heirloom of a recipe.....

Nana's Best Loved Apple Pie

Filling

1 refrigerated pie crust

4 c. thinly sliced Jonathan apples

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg 

(This is optional! I added this myself just to try it out.  It tastes great with or without!)

Topping

2/3 c. butter

3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

Enough cinnamon to lightly dust over the top.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel your apples.

Thinly slice.

Toss the apples with sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, if using until evenly coated.

Cut the cold butter into the four and sugar until crumbly.

Prepare your crust and I like to give it a egg or milk wash and shower the edges with sugar so they'll glisten!

Pour in the apples.

Pour the filling over the top and spread around evenly.  Dust with cinnamon.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Hot out of the oven!  See what I mean by crumbly, buttery topping and a glistening crust? :)

Delicious!

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