Äidin Omemapiirakka - Mum's Apple Pie
A freshly picked, crunchy, sweet, juicy apple is one of life's simple pleasures, and every time I'm lucky enough to bite into a really good apple, I'm always reminded of my childhood; the smell of mum's omenapiirakka (apple pie) baking in the oven or the sweet scent of warm apples wafting up from the large apple orchards below our childhood home. This is my mamma's pie. I had to leave the recipe just as it is. If you are vegan, like me, simply replace the egg yolks with 1 flax egg.
Serves
what you need
For the crust
375 g plain flour
100 g sugar
225 g butter
2 egg yolks
1 egg white to glaze
Castor sugar for sprinkling on the top
For the filling
About 4-5 medium sized apples
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
what to do
Preheat oven to 200˚C.
For the crust
Sift the flour and sugar into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then add the egg yolks and work with your hands until the dough comes together. Divide into two equal sized portions, cover in plastic wrap, and pop in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
for the filling
Peel and thinly slice the apples and place in a large bowl. Microwave for about 3 minutes to just soften the apples. If you prefer your apples to have a bit more bite, avoid this step. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and coat the apples evenly. Roll out dough between two pieces of baking paper to fit a 23cm pie pan, and carefully arrange the dough in the pan. Roll out the lid. Arrange the apples in layers in the pan, sprinkle with a bit more sugar and cinnamon and put the lid on top. Use any left over dough to decorate the top of your pie, and then brush with the egg white and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.