Things You'll Need:
- Pie Crust (buy frozen or prepare from a grocery store box of pie crust mix)
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups sliced, pared tart apples (recommend Cortland, Granny Smith, Haralson, Golden Delicious or Rome Beauty)
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, washed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Confectioners sugar
- (optional) 3 cinnamon sticks
- (optional) Piece of holly with red berries
- (optional) 6-inch long sprig of rosemary
- (optional) Piece of thin red ribbon
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Step 1
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
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Step 2
Peel, core and slice the apples.
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Step 3
Stir together the flour, sugar and cinnamon.
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Step 4
Start with a thin layer of apple slices, in a pastry-lined pie plate, and then alternate layers of apples, cranberries and the flour-sugar mixture, ending with apples on top.
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Step 5
Dot the top of the apples with butter.
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Step 6
Remember a “lattice” top crust is not too difficult to do, and is attractive and festive because the bright red juice of the cranberries shows through. Roll out the top crust to a circle that is about ½-inch wider than the pie plate all around.
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Step 7
Using a sharp knife, cut the piecrust into ½-inch wide strips. You should end up with 10 to 16 long, thin strips of pastry.
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Step 8
Begin by laying the longest strip across the widest, middle section of the pie, reaching from side to side. Do not crimp the edges–just let it lay there, loosely.
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Step 9
Lay two, shorter strips on either side of the long strip, so that you have two more strips on each side of the center one. The pie should now have five strips of crust, all running the same direction, evenly spaced from the edge of the pie plate to the center. Again, do not crimp the edges.
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Step 10
Start the same process in the other direction, with strips placed perpendicular to the first five. Start with a long strip in the middle and weave it under the strips that are already in place. Just like basket weaving, thread the piece over-under-over-under the other strips. Work your way out to the sides, using progressively shorter pieces of pastry. Use as many strips as it takes to neatly blanket the pie filling.
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Step 11
Go around the outside perimeter of the dish when the woven crust is in place and crimp the edges together between your fingers, closing up the perimeter of the crust.
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Step 12
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling. Cool on a pie rack.
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Step 13
Sprinkle some confectioners sugar over the top, like a dusting of snow, once the pie has cooled.
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Step 14
Add a festive garnish by gathering the cinnamon sticks and holly together in a clump and tying them with the rosemary or a red ribbon.
