Food Flavors and Fun: Apple Pandowdy Wednesday October 19, 2022

Howdy, Apple Pandowdy. Pan-who-dee? P.A.N.D.O.W.D.Y.

Of course, this recipe's origins will never be known definitively but from what I've read, it dates back, at least, to colonial times in the North East. Also referred to as Apple Pot Pie, it is very much like an apple pie with only a top crust, with many variations, the one I chose to make has you dunk the pastry crust top into the apple juices about halfway through the cook time. Sounded interesting to me.

I did adapt my recipe from America's Test Kitchen version, but, oddly, their instructions and the form of the recipe was very disheveled. It was downright annoying to try to follow it, you had to bounce from the top of the instructions to the bottom and back again. I am going to see if I can fix that.

Of course, I changed the type of apples they recommended to what I had on hand. They recommended Golden Delicious for their firmness, and recommended NOT to use Granny Smiths due to their deep tartness. I had Gala and Granny Smiths on hand. The Gala were fine, the Granny Smiths were way too tart for this 't application. I'll give ATK that one. The Galas held up fine, as long as they hadn't been cut too thin- 1/2 inch worked fine.

So, here goes:

Cut 6 TBSP unsalted butter into 1/4 inch cubes and put in freezer for 15 minutes before you start.

Start the pastry first, as it has to chill for about an hour.

ATK recommends using a food processor to make the dough, as I only have a mini one, it was not big enough, so I used my kitchen aide and finished with a pastry blender. I'll point it out as we go.

Mix 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)

1 tsp granulated sugar and

1/2 tsp salt until blended in a food processor or stand mixer or bowl

***add the 6 TBSP frozen butter cubes from freezer***

Pulse a few times until size of large peas (about 6-8 pulses) watch carefully if using stand mixer. You do not want to over process. If doing by hand/pastry blender/forks cut butter in until size of large peas.

Mix 3 TBSP ice water with 1 TBSP sour cream (sounds odd, but it worked fine)

Add water/sour cream mixture to flour/butter and pulse until there are large clumps and no dry flour left, scraping down the sides, 3-6 pulses. 20-30 seconds in stand mixer.

Remove dough from food processor or mixer or bowl press with fingertips into 4 inch disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate for one hour.

While dough is resting peel, core and slice into 1/2 inch thick slices 2-1/2 pound firm apples that will hold up to cooking (per ATK Golden Delicious work marvelously in this application- me, personally, am not a fan of any "delicious" variety- as I don't find them to live up to their name. But that's me. I do have to agree with ATK that Granny Smiths were way too tart. Next time I will either break down and try the Golden Delicious or my personal favorite for cooking, Cortland, if I can even get them in Florida.

Mix 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice & 1/2 cup water in bowl. Add prepared apple slices to keep from browning.

Drain apples well. To apples in a large bowl add 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark,

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

Toss to coat apples.

Back to the dough:

Remove dough from refrigerator, and let sit at room temp about 5 minutes.

Roll into 10 inch round on lightly floured surface. Cut into 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 inch squares, the ends will be rounded but that works on the edges anyway. Lay pastry pieces out on a buttered flat pan or parchment paper covered pan and cover with plastic wrap and return to refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Start to preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt 3 TBSP unsalted butter in 10 inch ovenproof skillet on stovetop.

Add apple mixture, stir well, cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally over med-low heat for 10 minutes to start to soften apples and release their juices.

Mix 3/4 cup apple cider, 1 TBSP cornstarch & 2 tsp lemon juice in small bowl until there are no lumps, add to apples in skillet, and cook for another 2-3 minutes stirring, uncovered until juice just starts to thicken.

Removed from heat and gently press apples down to try to get an even layer.

Working quickly, lay pastry pieces on top of apples, slightly overlapping, but cover most of the top of the apples. Brush pastry with 1 beaten egg, and sprinkle w/ 1 TBSP granulated sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon.

Bake at 400 degrees until pastry starts to puff up, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and with the back of a large spoon press the center of the pastry down so the juices start to run over the top. Repeat pressing the pastry fur more times around the edge of the skillet. return to the oven and continue to bake for about another 15 minutes until the top crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven, allow to cool at least 20 minutes on a wire rack.

Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.

Still a lot of steps but it was very much worth it!

Hope you enjoy this- it did end up very very delicious, and next time I will try other apples!