Pork and Apple Pie

As the quest to use my half bushel of apples continues...
Jo Anna knew I was having trouble using up all my fruit, so she sent me this article. I decided to aim high and go for the pork and apple pie with a cheddar sage crust. It just sounded delicious and I thought it was time to test a form of pie crust again.

Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons dried sage, finely crumbled

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Filling

1 1/2 pounds (about 3 large) firm-sweet apples (such as Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady), unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch thick wedges

1 1/2 pounds (about 3 large) firm-tart apples (such as Granny Smith, Rome or Winesap), unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch thick wedges

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, very finely chopped

2 pounds ground pork (preferably 15 percent to 17 percent fat)

1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

3 1/2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs

1 egg blended with 1 tablespoon water

Fresh sage leaves for garnish

This looks like a ton of ingredients but it is mostly spices, so don't be afraid. I cooked down the apples and made the crust the night before and then finished it off the next day. (I used Rome and Nittany apples)

This crust went surprisingly well for me. I did not have sharp cheddar so I used a cheddar jack blend and it tasted fine. As I did this part the night before, the dough was in the fridge for a long time. I had a tough time rolling it out because it was so chilled. Next time I will let it sit for a few before attempting that. But I did manage to roll out both pieces and get them in the dish successfully!

The crust was what I was worried about so after that I had no problems. The only issue I ran into was finding ground pork! I went to three stores and became convinced it doesn't really exist so I bought plain pork sausage that was not in casings. It tasted fine but was maybe a bit too seasoned with all the spices the recipe called for. I guess next time I find a butcher...

I had left over meat and apples even though this dish is super deep



Before going into the oven. Isn't it cute?

Finished product!