Pie Weather~

Pie Weather..the last 2 days have been pie weather..pouring,nesting,cozy home ,staying home days.

LEGGINGS..

I love seeing my neighbours gardens from our sunroom through the apple tree..I am up above so I can see.. in the gardens a huge hedge divides us..I am amazed at how that hedge has grown..we planted 2..one ordinary one that starts at the mid way down the side of our home to the back of the property..I found photos of when our family helped us plant these small small things..now Jacques trims it every year to keep it at maybe 10 ft..the one on that same side going toward the road..never needs trimmimg..it looks like Tuscany..I have not seen another one here..we lucked out..pyramids..perfections..long and lean.
Driving up the street..it makes me happy to see it...the white fence..the clematis..♥

I painted and made pies.. and pizzas..and took pictures..I can't get into my book!  Bah...

I am fond of that treasure box..Caroline gave it to me..soooo many years ago...she often found very cute Marjolein Bastin things..  some have survived..the indoor things..I had a few garden things that with the years..they just disintegrated..pretty metal sign..etc..

The box is specifically for treasures you find outside..I save the ones I like looking at..the box could be too full if I put everything in it..the background has faded with the years..
under glass..
I used to want Jacques to build me a treasure table..like this..  but wood base..coffee table size..then I guess I forgot about it..the idea still appeals to me.

The egg is not real..I snuck it out of an artificial nest that has 3 in the sunroom;)

The pie..

I made Ricardo's crust..but this time..subbed a bit of the butter for a bit of lard..not sure it made a difference..Ricardo's pie crust works for me.
Food processor..
Recipe is here..I have shared it before..
The pie..is one our daughter made for us many many years ago..it's really good..
I know I have probably shared too many apple pie recipes here..and maybe even this one..been so long I am starting to forget what I have posted..but you could eat it twice;)

La recette~

6 cups thinly sliced apples..peeled too;)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon or more to your liking~
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp butter
In a large mixing bwl toss apples with lemon juice.
Combine granulated sugar,br.sugar,flour,cinnamon and nutmeg Add apples and toss.Fill crust w/ this preparation.

Crumb crust

1/2 cup of sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
i tsp cardamom

Mix flour sugar..cut in butter add spices..put on top of pie..

I bake mine at 450 F for 10 minutes,then reduce to 350 for 40 add ..minutes..OR MORE..


My notes..

The original recipe adds cloves to the apple mixtue..I don't..
the crumb top..is my idea..I leave out extra cinnamon and nutmeg..there is enough in the pie..and add cardamom instead.
I love apple desserts w/ cardamom added.
I don't even eat it..but I am a taste tester.The only one.
Jacques adores pies..and jams..all things from his youth..

I added crust leaves around..and my pie took longer to bake..I wait until I see syrup forming and a pointy wood skewer slides into the middle of the pie to make sure the apples are cooked..These were Paula Reds..different apples bake at different times..
I had extra crust so I made 2 hand pies.Could have made a third but by then I had put the apples away etc..
Pies are a labor of love..
It's not an easy peasy chocolate cake..I am going to post one soon..So easy you won't believe it.
But a pie..looks like home to me.

This is another recipe that makes a home smell so good~
The pizza..I used Mario Batali's dough recipe this time w/ the wine..
roasted some wee tomatoes and used buffalo mozzarella.
I made a little bun in the middle because that was the pizza of my youth..Tevere's..and Marco's♥