Apple Ginger Pie

It's autumn -- and finally feels like it after a heat wave that ended Monday with record highs in the 80's and 90's. Trees show reds, oranges, golds; birds migrate; the air is crisp and cool; and apples fall from trees. What better time of year to enjoy an apple pie?

This is a fairly traditional apple pie, with the slightest twist -- a bit of fresh ginger. The ginger is an ideal compliment to the tart-sweet fruit, adding just a bit of zing to a familiar treat.

APPLE GINGER PIE

Ingredients

filling:

• unbaked 9" pie shell
• tart apples to fill pie shell, peeled, cored, and sliced, about 5 c.
• 1/3 c. sugar (part brown sugar)
• 1/2 c. golden raisins
  
• 1 T. grated fresh ginger
• dash nutmeg
• 3 T. flour

topping:

• 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• dash cinnamon
• dash salt
• 5 T. butter

Method

Preheat oven to 425F.

Combine all filling ingredients and set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt; mix well. Add butter and work into mixture until it's well combined and crumbly.

Pour apples into pie shell; sprinkle topping to cover the apples right up to the crust.

Place in oven and immediately turn heat down to 375F. Bake about 1 hour.


Don't hesitate to enjoy it with a slice of good cheddar cheese or top it with a little vanilla ice cream.

And don't hesitate to cook, eat, dance, love!