Fall and apples have been inextricably linked for me since my childhood days. As soon as the fall equinox hits and the light takes on a different hue, memories of visiting the Aspetuck Valley Orchard with my mom and grandmother come flooding back. Each fall the three of us would head over there to wander around the apple barn in search of the perfect apple…crisp, juicy with that satisfying blend of sweet and tart. Once we'd tasted every apple the orchard had to offer we'd settle on a couple varieties, buy a couple bushels, and head home to the kitchen. The entire afternoon would be spent laughing, peeling, coring, and slicing apples. I remember winning a contest or two for creating the longest apple peel, something my grandma was especially good at. My dad, siblings and grandfather watched football while we cooked, though Grandpa often joined us if he found the football game boring. We’d make enough applesauce to last us a year, and then a treat for that evening's dessert: apple pie or apple crisp, maybe

Pie Filling Directions

1. Peel, core, quarter and thinly slice apples into a large bowl
2. Toss sliced apples with sugar and 1/2 cup flour
3. Cut butter into small pieces and toss in with apples
4. Add 4 ounces of Norm's Farms Blueberry Elderberry Preserves to a saucepan and gently heat over low heat until preserves are warm and runny
5. Add fresh or frozen blackberries to the warm preserves and heat gently until warmed through.

Pie Crust Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine first two ingredients.
2. Cut the 3/4 cup cold butter into pieces and add to the flour mixture
3. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the butter is the size of small peas. Gently toss in the shredded cheddar cheese.
4. Drizzle 1/2 cup of cold water over the flour-butter mixture and gently toss with a mixing spoon
5. Working with your hands, add 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time and gently toss the flour butter mixture as if you were tossing a salad.
6. Continue adding ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the pie dough holds together. Do not over mix.
7. Divide dough in half, form each half into a ball, slightly flatten the ball and then wrap in plastic.
8. Place in fridge for 2-24 hours
9. Preheat oven to 400°.
10. On a floured board or piece of granite or marble, roll each disc of pie dough to form a pie crust large enough to fit a 9 or 10 inch pie pan.
11. Using a thin spatula if necessary, fold one pie crust in half, then fold in a quarter. Lift the pie dough from the board and gently fit to the pie plate, making sure to leave extra dough hanging off the edge of the pie plan.

Assembling the Pie

1. Fill pie crust shell with apple filling, mounding apples as necessary.
2. Top the apple filling with the warm Blueberry-elderberry-blackberry mixture, poking the berries into and around the apples as necessary.
3. Top with other pie crust
4. Using your fingers, pinch the two pie crusts together, sealing in the filling.
5. Cut slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.
6. Brush the pie crust top and edges with the lightly beaten egg.
7. Place the pie on a foil covered cookie sheet and then place on the lower rack in the preheated oven
8. Bake for 45-50 minutes, cover loosely with foil to prevent over-browning and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and let sit for 2 hours before serving.

This pie is delicious all by itself, and is fantastic served with sharp cheddar cheese or vanilla ice cream.