Sausage and apple pie a fall favorite
Apple pie with sweet Italian sausage
Sausage and apple pie
Sausage and apple pie just seems like a fall tradition at our house. Usually after a trip the the abundant apple orchards in this region, I get in the mood for this warm and juicy apple pie.
If you are an experienced cook, the instructions are slice apples, brown sausage, combine and pour into a pie shell, bake.
If you need a little more information, begin here – but I caution you. This is a Make It Your Own Recipe*. Meaning take the basics of this recipe and add your own special tastes and touches.
Ingredients
- 1 frozen double pie crust, thawed
- about 3 medium fresh apples, peeled, cored, sliced
- 1 pound of sausage, browned sausage, browned
Serve warm or at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook sausage over medium heat just until browned. Drain on paper towels. While sausage is cooking, peal, core, thinly slice apples. Toss apples and (and optional sugar and spices) in a mixing bowl. Stir in drained sausage.
- Fill pie crust with apple sausage mixture. The goal is to fill the piecrust to slightly mounded with apple mixture. Top with second crust, pinch the edges of the two crusts together. Slit top crust with 3 or 4 two-inch slashes to allow steam to escape.
- Dust top of pie (optional) with cinnamon sugar or course dusting sugar.
Cook Time
A Fall Favorite
Best pie pans for baking
Make your own crème fraîche
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk
Directions:
The day before: in a bowl, combine the cream and buttermilk. Cover with a clean kitchen towel for 12 to 16 hours or, until thickened. Refrigerate any extra crème fraîche for up to one week.
It's apple pie time
What kind of apples
- What kind of apples?
Bakers choice. I always have MacIntosh handy, so MacIntosh. Or, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, Granny Smith, Jonagold. Thomas Jefferson grew and ate Pippins, an heirloom that organic growers like. About four apples, really, it depends on the size of the apples.
Grandma used to say mix 'em up. Use more than one variety for the best pies. I say use sweet apples so you don't need to add as much sugar.
- What kind of pie crust?
I use frozen pie shells because I am a pastry/pie crust making coward. But of course making your own is much better. Much better. King Arthur makes a great cheddar pie crust that is divine.
- What kind of sausage?
A pound of breakfast sausage, if you plant to eat this for breakfast or brunch. A pound of sweet (mild) Italian if this is for dinner. And, it works to use less sausage and more apples. Or use hot sausage, if you like. I've even made this pie with ground turkey.
More suggestions
- What kind of herbs and spices (seasoning)?
Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ cup of sugar. Premixed apple pie spice, even pumpkin pie spice is fine. A tablespoon of cinnamon sugar. If I have fresh thyme, 2 teaspoons. Or a teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Add a quarter cup of sugar.
- What kind of topping or garnish?
My favorite is sour cream (1 cup) with a bit of horseradish (1 Tablespoon) stirred in. Or, Crème fraîche, a wedge of cheddar.
*A Make It Your Own Recipe starts with a basic recipe. Customize that basic recipe with your special touches. The recipe becomes your specialty, possibly with your own secret ingredients.
Apples as a first canning project
