Apple Pie

Pie Pastry:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch  pieces

1/4 cup  ice water

In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

Apple Filling:
6 cups peeled and sliced royal gala, or granny smith apples
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons rolled oats
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg mixed with 2 Tbsp water, for brushing
sugar and cinnamon, for sprinkling

Toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice. Place half of the apples in a sauté pan or saucepan and heat over medium heating, until some of the juices cook out and the apples soften, about 10 minutes. Remove the apples from the pan using a slotted spoon and stir with the remaining uncooked apples to cool.
In a separate bowl, stir the granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg to blend, then stir this into the apples and set aside.
Pull out the dough from the fridge 15-30 minutes before rolling. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the first disk of dough into a circle just less than ¼-inch thick. Dust a 9-inch pie plate with flour and line the plate with the pastry. Sprinkle the bottom of the shell with the oats (this will help absorb any excess juices). Spoon the apple filling into the shell and dot with the butter. Roll out the remaining disk of dough to the same thickness and place over the apples. Trim any excess dough and pinch the edges of the crust together, created a fluted edge. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Stir a little sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle generously over top. Use a knife  to slit opening in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 F. until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool the pie for at least 2 hours before slicing to serve.

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Butter Tarts

Pie pastry:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon granulated white sugar

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch  pieces

1/8 to 1/4 cup  ice water

Butter Tart Filling:

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup light cream (half-and-half) 

1/2 cup raisins or chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Pie Pastry:
In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. 
Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds).
Pour 1/8 cup water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. 
Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. 
After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into 12 - 4 inch (10 cm) rounds.
Gently place the rounds into a 12-cup muffin tin. 
Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm the dough. 

Butter Tart Filling: 
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. 
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla extract. 
Stir in the cream.
If using nuts and/or raisins, place a spoonful in the bottom of each tart shell and then fill the unbaked tart shells with the filling. 
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 -20 minutes or until the pastry has nicely browned and the filling is puffed and set. 
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 
Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 12 - 4 inch tarts.

Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

3 slices stale bread
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
8-10 large white mushrooms
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
4 oz. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Process bread in a food processor until it turns to coarse crumbs. Toss with oil, salt, pepper and thyme and spread over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake until golden, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Carefully remove the stems from the mushroom caps. 
Finely chop the stems and innards.

On a different baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper (or baking dish), place the cleaned mushrooms, stem-side down, on the sheet (or dish). Place mushrooms in the oven and bake until they start to release their juices, approximately 10 minutes.

While mushrooms are cooking, melt 2 tbsp. of the unsalted butter over medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. of butter, the onion, shallot, garlic and oregano, stirring occasionally until golden and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Remove from heat and add to the bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Add parmesan and parsley and toss until well combined.

Pile stuffing into the opening of each mushroom, pressing gently, and lay on a clean baking sheet. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and stuffing is golden, approximately 15-20 minutes. 

Enjoy!