Applesauce Pie

Pies have a rich history in our country.  Over the last centuries, men and women have made pies to bring people together, to highlight the season's bounty, and to nourish their friends and family.  I have many memories of my sweet grandmother, Lucy, in her small but efficient kitchen, rolling out pie crusts for her famous apple, pumpkin and mincemeat pies.  Holidays were not complete without her beautifully crafted additions.  When I came upon this recipe, I imagined an older women during the early part of the 20th century pulling out jars of applesauce she had canned herself earlier that fall.  While fresh fruit might not be plentiful in the dead of winter, she was prepared to bring warmth and spice to her family all year long.  Today, with our somewhat unsettling capability to ship food from almost anywhere in the world, we are less limited by the changing seasons.  But I still believe that seasonal shopping and cooking are the most rewarding and nutritious endeavors.  So although strawberries are beginning to proliferate on our grocery shelves, I know that a few more months are needed before I can enjoy a sweet and seasonal strawberry pie.  In the meantime, I am going to bake pies that my grandmothers and great great grandmothers would have baked during the winter months, pies like this applesauce one that fill the house with the smells of cinnamon, cloves and stewed apples.  

After my success with my banana cream pie, I decided to coat this pie crust with vanilla wafer cookie crumbs before baking.  Although I know this pie would be delicious with just a simple butter pastry, the cookie crumbs add something special to a fairly straight-forward and simple pie.  When choosing your applesauce, opt for a high-quality, organic, unsweetened variety.  You will then have the ability to add as much sugar as your tastes dictate.  This pie needs to chill for at least two hours before serving, so make sure you allot enough time to bake and then chill your pie before plating it.  But as I said before, this pie is wonderfully simple and would be a delicious finish to a warm bowl of soup. 

Applesauce Pie
 *Adapted from PIE by Ken Haedrich
1 recipe basic butter pastry, single crust
1/2 cup crushed vanilla wafers

2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup butter, unsalted and melted
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
A pinch of cloves and nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

1.  Prepare your pastry crust and allow to chill for 1/2 hour in refrigerator before rolling.  On a sheet of lightly floured wax paper, sprinkle several TBSP of the cookie crumbs.  Roll the pastry into a 12 inch circle, adding tablespoons of cookie crumbs to the dough as you roll.  Invert the pastry into a 9 inch pie pan and peel of the wax paper.  Sculpt the edge into an upstanding ridge and place in freezer for 15 minutes.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 
2.  Meanwhile, combine the eggs and sugars in a large bowl and beat for 30 seconds.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and beat until well combined.  Carefully pour filling into chilled pie dough. 
3.  Bake your pie in your preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the filling is set (about 30 minutes more).  Rotate the pie and bake for another 15 minutes.  The pie's surface will have a flat finish.
4.  Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool thoroughly.  Cover loosely with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.