Dried Apricot Pie
For the pie crust:
1 ½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup lard, chilled and cut into small pieces |
For the filling:
2 cups
California Dried Apricots
½ cup sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp allspice
1 egg white |
For the pie
crust: Sift flour and salt together into a
large mixing bowl. Cut in lard using a pastry cutter or two
knives. Be careful not to over mix-you want to leave some
lumps-but work until you have what looks like a bowl of
small white peas. Drizzle in 4 tbsp ice water. As the lumps
of dough get wet, gently move them aside so that the water
can reach remaining dry ingredients. Mix just until dough
holds together. Form into a ball, wrap in waxed paper, and
refrigerate.
For the filling:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Snip dried apricots
into quarters with scissors, then place them in a saucepan,
and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high
heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until
apricots absorb most of the water, about 20 mins. Remove
from heat and stir in the sugar, flour and lemon juice.
Press about 60% of the dough into a flat round, place
between two sheets of lightly floured waxed paper, then roll
into a 12” round. Ease into an 8” pie pan and trim edges,
allowing a 1/2” overhang. Add filling, dot with butter and
sprinkle with nutmeg and allspice. Flatten remaining dough,
place between two sheets of lightly floured waxed paper and
roll (making it as thin as possible without tearing) into a
9” round. Place it on top of filling, crimp edges, and slit
pie crust 3-4 times. Mix egg white with 1 Tbsp. water in a
small bowl, then brush on crust. Bake for 10 minutes at
450°F, then reduce heat to 425° and continue baking for 30
minutes. Serve warm or cool to room temperature. Best served
with vanilla ice cream! |
