The Pie That Made us Giggle

“Grandma T” had a recipe we all giggled at as children, Naked Apple Pie. I’m not sure what we thought it would be, but when we were kids the word “naked” seems to always set of fits of giggles.  Yes, this is a pie, sort of. Yes, it’s naked – it wears no cloak of secrecy, no sense of “I wonder what kind of pie that is.” IT HAS NO CRUST!

Grandma and Grandpa lived on a farm what seemed like hours away. Today, I realize it was really only about 20 minutes from home! As a city kid, I used to love going to the farm to run the open fields and watch the cats and kittens underneath the porch. Many a summer afternoon was spent hanging over the edge of the porch hoping to spot a kitten. They had 2 Transparent Apple trees as you came onto the property. Grandma used to say they weren’t good for much more than feeding livestock, but I remember frequently going home with an apple belly ache!

While I don’t remember Grandma making this recipe herself, my mom used to whip this up a lot. It’s so fast and easy, and has no hassle of a pastry crust. Mom dictated the recipe to me over the phone when I was on my own, and I remember saying, “That’s it?!” Leave it to Grandma T to not have explicit instructions. I’m thankful she didn’t use pinches and dashes! (check out the recipe below…how simple is that?!). This recipe is perfect not only for when you want a quick and easy dessert, but especially perfect for those who don’t like, or are challenged by, pastry crust.  (Be sure to check out my Guaranteed Perfect Pastry Crust recipe!)

The A-B-Cs of Peeling Apples

My favorite part of this recipe, and any apple recipe, is peeling the apples. When I finally reached the age that I was allowed to use a sharp knife, my Grandma T taught me how to peel apples. More importantly, she taught me that if you say the alphabet as you peel, at whatever letter your peel breaks will be the first initial of the man you will marry. Every apple after that would be the names of your children. Silly little game, but I still say the alphabet as I peel in memory of her. Only now, I can peel an entire apple in one long string! And, what’s really neat is many of my cousins learned the same thing from “The Aunts” (their moms) and have passed it along to their children. Thanks Grandma!

The Easy Recipe Poses Some Challenges

My sisters and I recently did a “round the horn” on this recipe. One texted to ask if I’d ever made it and had any problems with it. Yes, I’ve made it many times. No, I’ve never had problems…what do you mean by problems?  Well, in the course of several texts, I learned one sister had soggy middle, the other had hard edges. Feeling a little like Goldilocks checkin’ out the porridge, I thought I’d whip one of these babies up to see if I could figure out what I did differently that it turns out every time.

As you read the ingredients list, you’re probably say, “Barb, it’s just pie filling. How difficult can that be?” Friends, it’s not JUST pie filling. It’s not a cake. It’s not a pie. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s this delicious concoction of cinnamony, nutty, appley goodness surrounded by a sweet, “stuff”.

Key to the recipe is the type apple. I only ever use Granny Smith for baking, and especially for this. They hold up well and don’t turn to mush, have a sweet/tart flavor, and don’t get overly juicy. The other key is to not overmix it. Use a wooden spoon or a spatula, and just mix so that all ingredients are incorporated. Done. Final note…as with all baking, oven temperatures vary so the exact time it takes to cook in your oven may be a bit different from mine. Start checking for doneness around the 30-minute mark. You’ll know it’s done when the “stuff” surrounding the apples become almost crispy caramelized.