Rosemary Apple Pie

This is my favorite apple pie recipe. I clipped it a two years ago from a Saveur magazine, made it immediately, and have made it five times since. love. The rosemary in the crust is very subtle–most people taste something unique, but can’t put a finger on it, and the cinnamon paired with the apples is intense and perfect. I also love the sweetness in the crust, with the crunch of the cornmeal. This is the pie I buy my first bag of apples for in the fall, and commit all tart apples to, should a lovely neighbor give me some of their harvest.

Note: as with all pies, it’s best to start on them early in the day. It’s not a lot of hands-on work, but it does take a lot of time with the chilling and cooling, etc. Better to have time on your side.

Rosemary Apple Pie

For the Crust

2 c. flour, plus more for dusting

¹⁄₄ c. sugar

2 T. cornmeal

¹⁄₂ T. finely chopped rosemary

1 t. kosher salt

12 T. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

¹⁄₂ c. ice-cold water

For the Filling

3 lb. sweet or tart apples, such as Golden Delicious or McIntosh, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

³⁄₄ c. sugar, plus 1 T. for sprinkling

3 T. cornstarch

1 ¹⁄₂T. ground cinnamon

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 ¹⁄₂ t. vanilla extract

¹⁄₂ t. kosher salt

4 T. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 T. water

Make the crust: Pulse flour, sugar, cornmeal, rosemary, salt, and butter in a food processor into pea-size crumbles. Add water; pulse until dough comes together. Form ⅔ dough into a flat disk; repeat with remaining ⅓ dough. Wrap disks in plastic wrap; chill for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll larger disk of dough into a 12″ round. Fit dough into a 9″ pie plate. Trim edges, leaving about 1″ dough overhanging edge of plate. Roll the smaller disk into an 8″ square. Slice into 8 strips; chill both doughs 30 minutes.

Make the filling: Toss apples, ¾ cup sugar, cornstarch, 1 tbsp. cinnamon, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Arrange apples evenly over dough in the pie plate; dot with butter. To make the lattice, lay 4 dough strips horizontally across top of pie, fold first and third strips back on themselves, then lay another strip perpendicular to them, just off center. Unfold first and third strips, fold back second and fourth strips, then lay another strip to the right of first perpendicular strip. Repeat weave pattern with remaining dough strips; chill 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 400°. Trim edges of dough and crimp. Brush with egg mixture; sprinkle with 1 tbsp. sugar and remaining cinnamon. Bake until crust is golden brown and apples are tender, about 1 hour. Let cool completely before serving.