Apple-Orange Pie

It feels like forever since I last baked a pie, but with a nip of fall in the air and apples overflowing the grocery store shelves, I decided it was time.

I also made a great discovery, thanks to this recipe. The original version called for Pillsbury's refrigerated pie dough, which is definitely not vegan. My go-to vegan pre-made pie crust has always been from Wholly Wholesome (sold in the freezer section), which is certified vegan, and which I knew I could use for single crust pies. What I didn't realize is that I could use it for double crust pies! Because 2, 9-inch crusts come to a package, simply let them thaw, invert one atop another, and crimp the edges together. This discovery made my afternoon baking a whole lot easier.

Before we get to the crust, though, start by carefully peeling the rind from 2, thin-skinned oranges, being careful not to get the white pithy part. Save the oranges themselves for another use (i.e. eat them as a snack!) and cut the rinds into strips of 1-inch long by 1/8-inch thick.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water with 1/4 cup agave necter (in place of honey) and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the orange rind. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes; the rind should be very soft. In full disclosure, I got impatient and mine only simmered for 27 minutes. Remove the rind with a slotted spoon, and discard the cooking liqiud.

Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup organic brown sugar, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. ginger and a dash of salt in a large bowl.

Peel, core, and slice 6 medium Golden Delicious apples. I bought 6 apples originally, but once home, I decided they were closer to 'large' than 'medium', so only used 5 of them, which was probably the right choice lest my pie have overflowed its dish. The original recipe didn't specify how thin the apple slices should be; I made mine pretty thin, though not so thin as, say, for an apple tart.

Spoon half of the apple mixture into one pre-made 9-inch pie crust (such as Wholly Wholesome). Arrange the orange rind over the apples, then top with the second half of the apple mixture. Lightly brush the edges of the crust with water, then carefully remove the second 9-inch pre-made pie crust from its pan and invert atop the other; crimp the edges together.

(Note: if you prefer to make your crust at home, see my Thin French Apple Tart recipe)

Make 3 (1-inch) slits in the top of the crust with a knife. Make the equivalent of one egg using egg replacer (such as Ener-G) and lightly brush over the top and edges of the pie with a pastry brush - I only used about half of the resulting 'egg' mixture for this, and discarded the rest.

Place the pie on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack. You'll have 10 slices of 340 calories each.

And with that, a happy 35th birthday to my boyfriend.



Cost:
thin-skinned oranges $1.00
Golden Delicious apple $5.87
pre-made pie crust $3.99