Ingredients:
2 medium-sized apples
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp butter or margarine
1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
Two slices bread
I’m an apple pie girly, but I have yet to master making pie crust. This recipe is an easy solution if you don’t have the time or don’t know how to make crust. It’s also great to scale up and make big batches and freeze for later.
Peel the two apples and cut out the cores. Then chop the apples to roughly the same size. Put your apple chunks in a bowl, then add the cinnamon, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix together until the apple pieces are completely coated.
Pre-heat your pot to medium heat and melt your butter. Pour your apples into the pot carefully and cook slowly; make sure to stir once in a while to prevent scorching or burning the apples. When most of the apples are soft and tender, and when you see areas that have the consistency of applesauce, take it off the heat to let it cool a little.
The apple filling has cooled enough when you’re able to make a streak on the back of a spoon. Take two slices of bread and flatten it with a spoon, cup, or rolling pin. Remove the crusts, scoop out the filling, and place it on one of your flattened bread pieces. Take the slice and place it on top without pressing down. Use a round cookie cutter or cup to make the pie. Make sure to not overfill your pies so you have enough room to be able to cut around the pie, and so that the applesauce doesn’t break through the bread. Once you’ve cut out your shape, use a fork to press around the edges. Pressing around the edges will help further seal your pie.
Next, heat a pan with a little bit of butter on medium-high heat. Place your pies in and turn down the temperature to medium and toast both sides of the pie. Sprinkle on extra sugar and cinnamon, then enjoy.
If you are planning on making a large batch, I recommend putting your peeled and cut apples in a large bowl or pot with some ice water and lemon juice. This will help prevent your apples from going brown and soft. To store your large batches, put all the ingredients in without mixing in a bowl first. Seal the bag then shake to mix the ingredients—this means less dishes to clean later.
If you have multiple types of apples in your kitchen, don’t be afraid to use them. I like using sweet and tart apples together for my filling. The tartness helps cut through the sweet flavour and makes the filling more interesting to eat.