TODAY Food Club

What a fabulous, unique fruit pie! It's delicious warm or cold, and of course, the better quality of dried apricots you use, the better the filling will turn out so look for plump, moist apricots.

Apricot Pie

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour (for the pie crust)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (for the pie crust)
• 1 teaspoon salt (for the pie crust)
• 1 ½ sticks of butter, cut into small cubes and refrigerated (for the pie crust)
• ⅓ cup vegetable shortening (for the pie crust)
• 4 tablespoons water, very cold (for the pie crust)
• 4 cups dried apricots, cut in half (for the pie filling)
• 5 cups water (for the pie filling)
• 1 cup sugar (for the pie filling)
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch (for the pie filling)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (for the pie filling)
• 2-3 tablespoons butter, cubed (for the pie filling)
• 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon of milk (egg wash) well beaten

Preparation

1. Make the pie dough to start.
2. Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.
3. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the butter is pea size.
4. Keep machine running and add vinegar and cold water.
5. Mix only until ball forms.
6. Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use (at least 30 minutes).
7. Make filling.
8. In a medium saucepan, bring apricots and water to a boil.
9. Reduce heat slightly and cook for 10-15 minutes until apricots are softened.
10. Add sugar, stir and cook for 5 minutes.
11. Pour apricots into a sieve or colander set over a bowl.
12. Reserve 1 ½ cups of juice.
13. Return juice to pot.
14. Whisk in cornstarch and salt.
15. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens, stirring often.
16. Set aside.
17. Divide dough into two balls.
18. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a 9" circle.
19. Place one dough circle in a 9" pie pan.
20. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until lightly golden brown.
21. Slice the second dough circle into thin strips.
22. Arrange apricots in baked pie shell.
23. Pour thickened juice over apricots.
24. Dot with butter.
25. Arrange strips lattice-style over top of apricots.
26. Brush top with egg wash.
27. Sprinkle with sugar.
28. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 -30 minutes or until deep golden brown on top.

Recipe Tags

• Comfort Food
• American
• Dessert