6-8 medium golden delicious or other baking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons pure agave nectar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
In a large bowl, gently mix agave, cinnamon and pinch of sea salt with apple slices. Spoon apple slices into bottom crust. Roll out top crust between 2 sheets of wax paper, remove top sheet and invert pastry over pie filling. Fold edges under and flute. Using fork tines, poke a few holes in top crust and finish with decorative leaf shapes if desired, rolling out and using remaining crust.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour Crust
1 ½ cups organic (only organic*) whole wheat pastry flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup PLUS 1 tablespoon high heat canola oil or non-hydrogenated buttery spread (e.g., Earth Balance)
¼ cup cool water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil 8- or 9-inch pie plate. Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in oil with pastry blender or 2 knives until coarse crumbs form. Add water blending until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a ball, but handle as little as possible to avoid producing a tougher crust. Roll out 1 ball between 2 pieces of wax paper to about ¼-inch thick. Carefully remove top sheet of waxed paper and invert pastry onto prepared pie plate. Remove second sheet of waxed paper; fill as desired. Roll out second dough ball in same way; place over filling. Fold edges under; flute. Poke holes in top crust to allow steam to escape, and finish with decorative shapes if desired. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or longer if a softer apple is preferred..
Caramelized Sauce
1 cup organic brown rice syrup
1 rounded tablespoon creamy almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond (soy, oat or other milk-like beverage)
Bring rice syrup to a boil in a small pan. Lower flame and simmer for another minute or two. Remove from heat and whisk in almond butter and vanilla extract. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of almond milk, cool and store in a glass jar. Spoon over or under each pie slice as desired.
Hope you enjoy ….One of our family & friends’ favorites.
Penny B. Block, PhD