Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese Crust

Do you remember last week, when I mentioned Martha Stewart's Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie? Surely you do. Apple pie with a cheddar cheese crust is worth remembering, anyway.

See what I mean?

I modified this recipe so that it's both friendlier to my diabetic husband/my waistline and is generally considered more appropriate for say, brunch, than a slice of traditional pie would otherwise be.

Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese Crust

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 recipe Cheddar Cheese Double Pie Crust 
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest 
• 4 pounds apples (for this recipe I used Gala; Martha recommends Granny Smith. I say use what you have) 
• 2/3 cup agave nectar 
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (we like it heavy on the cinnamon, feel free to decrease) 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll each disk of dough to a 14-inch round with a floured rolling pin. Transfer one round to a baking sheet for top crust; refrigerate. Wrap second round of dough around rolling pin; unroll over a 9-inch pie plate for bottom crust. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (don't stretch dough).
2. Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel, quarter, and core apples; thinly slice crosswise, tossing with lemon juice as you work. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt to bowl; toss to combine.
3. Fill bottom crust with apple mixture; lightly brush edge of crust with water. Place top crust over filling; press all around edge to seal with bottom crust. Using kitchen shears, trim to a 1-inch overhang; fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim.
4. With a paring knife, cut five small slits in the center of pie; place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees, and bake until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 45 to 60 minutes more. If rim browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil. Let cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.
   

Cheddar Cheese Double Pie Crust 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (6 ounces)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

1. In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter and cheddar; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Don't overmix.
2. Divide into two disks. Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days). 
   
   
   Eat this pie.