Carol's Famous Walk-About Apple Pie

This recipe comes courtesy of Carol Gilbert, daughter of our friend and mentor the late Francis Fenton, who owned Sandy River Orchard in Mercer. One cold and rainy day after picking apples at Sandy River Orchard, Carol appeared with a tray full of Walk-About apple pies for us. Nothing could have been better at that moment than the warm, gooey, hand-held pies that melted in our mouths. We were so pleased she gave us the recipe to include here for your enjoyment. Wolf River apples work especially well in these pies since they are on the dry side and don’t make the pies too juicy.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups flour

  • 1 Tbs sugar

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 1 cup shortening or butter

  • 2/3 cup milk

  • 1 egg, separated

  • 1 quart Wolf River apples, cored and sliced

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 2 Tbs butter

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a jellyroll pan. Set aside.

  2. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients, and cut in the shortening or butter. In a separate bowl beat together the egg yolk and milk. Add this to the flour mixture, and mix just until the dough comes together in a ball and holds its shape.

  3. In a third bowl toss apples with cinnamon and sugar.

  4. Roll out half the dough on a floured surface, and lay it in the reserved, greased jellyroll pan. Spread the apples on top, and dot with butter. Roll out the remaining dough, and lay it over the top of the apples. Cut slits on the top for ventilation. Brush the top with egg white, and sprinkle with sugar.

  5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.

  6. When the pie is cool enough to handle, cut it into squares. No need for a knife or fork; you can take it with you to eat as you talk a walk, drive to work or stroll through an orchard.