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Apple Slab Pie with Fall Leaves

Two varieties of tart apples with a touch of fresh cider are nestled into tender flaky crust with fall leaf pie crust cutouts. A true shout out to autumn!
Author: Portlandia Pie Lady

Equipment

  • One 10 x 15 jelly roll baking sheet
  • 3 -1/2 inch maple leaf cookie cutter
  • 1 egg plus 2 tablespoons water for coloring leaves
  • Food coloring - green, yellow, orange and red
  • Parchment paper (to transfer bottom crust)
  • Pastry brush

Ingredients

Apple Pie Filling

  • 12 cups tart apples, cored, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (about 5 pounds, at least 2 varieties).
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup Clearjel, tapioca starch, or flour
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup apple cider (different variety apple if possible)
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Grandma's Pie Crust

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups vegetable shortening (or butter, room temp is okay)
  • 1 cup cold water

Instructions

Apple Pie Filling

  • In a large bowl big enough for the 12 cups of apples, stir the sugar, starch, and spices together.
  • Peel, core ,and chop the apples and measuring them about 2 cups at a time, tossing them into the sugar mixture. This will keep them from oxidizing.
  • Once all the apples are added to the sugar, add the lemon juice and apple cider and set aside while you prepare the crust.

Grandma's Pie Crust & Pie Assembly

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and using a large serving fork cut in the shortening until crumbly/pea size. Add the water all at once, stir just until combined.
  • Take about half of the dough, place on parchment dusted with flour, and roll out to 12 x 17 inches (for a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan). Invert the dough onto the pan, peel off parchment and fit into corners and trim extra around edges.
  • With the other half of the dough, roll out to about 1/4 inch thick or ever so slightly thinner. Cut with cookie cutter. You will need about 32 leaves that are about 3-1/2 inches in size. Even though I do not advocate re-rolling pie crust, ever; you made need to do this to get the last few leaves.
  • Prepare the egg wash with colors and using a pastry brush paint the leaves, green, yellow, orange and red, in that order. Paint with passion, get messy.
  • Place your prepared apples into the bottom crust. Dot with the butter. Place the pie crust leaves on randomly and leaving spaces with apple filling exposed. Sprinkle granulated sugar on top.
  • Bake for 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes before serving.

Notes

For Gluten Free Pie Leaves: 
Roll out the gluten free pie dough onto parchment and freeze for 20 minutes before cutting. Re-freeze the gluten free cutouts after painting them before placing them onto the pie as the dough will tear too easily if at room temp.