I posted my Fresh Peach and Sour Cream pie recipe a few posts back – and in digging through the boxes I found an additional scrap of paper that seemed orphaned. A partial list of ingredients and directions – as if it was missing half of itself!

I placed it aside hoping that my weary old brain cells would find the memory attached to the paper. And this morning it cam back to me! It was part of old dinner club – and a variation on the Peach and Sour Cream Pie recipe. Kat (and Martin) were hosting the event and or assigned “dessert” host was unable attend that evening in late January because of a winter storm.

The few of us that lived near enough to Kat’s apartment slogged through the wind and snow to enjoy the meal Kat had planned for our club. It was a simple meal of oven-baked Hungarian sausage, cheesy scalloped potatoes, broccoli and mushroom salad. The wine was a delightful white from Pelee Island (in Canada) – I don’t remember the specific white but would suspect one of their late harvest varieties for the sweetness.

Since we had no dessert Kat asked if I would create something. She flashed her sweet smile at me said, “You can use my oven in any way you wish!”
No man on earth could resist that request! She asked if I could make the Peach and Sour Cream Pie and then realized she only had canned peaches. I spotted a bag of Granny Smith Apples and said, “Let’s see if we can make “Sour Cream Apple Pie”.

***

So about that pie. Here are the ingredients

Ingredients
Filling
3-4 Granny Smith Apples (or other “tart” apples; peeled, cored  and sliced. Should be at least 3 cups)
1 cup sugar, divided into 3/4 cup and 1/4 portions

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
2 tablespoons flour
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Crust
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit salt if you use salted butter)

Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Crust:
Cut butter into flour and salt. Press the dough into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate.

Filling:
Slice apples into a bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 sugar, cinnamon and pinch of nutmeg. Let stand while you prepare the rest of the filling. Combine 3/4 cup sugar with the flour, egg, salt and vanilla until well blended. Fold in the sour cream. Stir in the apples. Pour the apple filling into the prepared crust.

This pie requires baking at two different temperatures. We start at 400 degrees F. Pre-heat the oven and place the pie on the middle rack for 15 minutes.

*****
So back to my memory. Grab a coffee or a tea while the pie bakes for 15 minutes – oh remember to set that timer!

Kat helped me in the kitchen while her partner entertained the other guests (Corrine and Laurel) in the living room. Now if you have followed my blog – or even browsed it a bit you know that apples and I have an uncomfortable relationship. See my post Fear of Apples to fully understand…

Harder apples like Granny Smith Apples are the worst for me! The sound and texture of any apple will just sends waves of “chalk-board on nails” shivers up my back. A Granny Smith triples the effect. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing straight like porcupine quills. By the third apple I was sweating.

Kat noticed my discomfort and made me sit down. She said I looked like I was about to faint. I told her of my “reaction” to apples and she punched me in the arm, “You ass – why the hell would you do that?” I sheepishly shrugged and admitted I just couldn’t say “No” to her request. “…after all how often do I get to fire up your oven and use it as I want?”

She laughed at me, and then took the apples, “Well then master Chef, sit back and allow me to peel my apples for you!”

Then we heard an “Ahem…” from the door as Corrine stood there with a quizzical look. “Ahhh – is this foreplay or cooking?” Kat laughed saying, “Oh Corrine – it is both! Come on in and join our orgy of cooking – but you’ll have to clean-up after we are done.”

Corrine smiled and replied, “Oh you know me Kat – always eager to please and waiting to be told what to do!” I should explain that Corrine at the time was the co-ordinator of a Womyn’s Resource Centre. Doing as she was told was not her nature! This of course made us laugh until we were all almost crying.

Dinner as always was a delightful evening of good company and laughter. And the pie? Oh yes it turned out very well!

***
Okay back to the pie here – the initial 15 minutes are up and so we turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and set the timer for another 25 minutes. Now is a good time to get the topping ready!

Directions
Topping:
Combine the cinnamon, sugar, flour and butter until crumbly.
Whew that wasn’t too hard was it?

Once the 25 minutes up – now pull out the pie and sprinkle the crumble over the top. Set the oven to 375 degrees F again and bake for 15 minutes more (until the topping is golden and crisp). The crust may need foil on the edges to keep from over-browning.
Let the pie cool and then be prepared to enjoy the best sour cream apple pie you will ever taste!