Apple Crumb Slab Pie

Originally published November 2017

A few years ago, I began baking pumpkin slab pies. Pies this size make sense when you're serving dessert to a crowd. I love them because the filling to crust ratio is perfect. In this version, there’s no choosing between a crumb or pastry topping. Life is too short to make such dire decisions when it comes to pie, so that’s why I settled on the best of both worlds with this Apple Crumb Slab Pie.

Those who know me might be raising an eyebrow on perusing the recipe below. Yes, friends, there is cinnamon in the filling. I know—I have very strong feelings about apples and cinnamon together. I find a great apple pie doesn’t need to be camouflaged with cinnamon—it should be able to stand on its own merits.

My time baking up at Grazin’ in Hudson has taught me to bend my thoughts about this. I mean, if people prefer cinnamon in their apple pie, who am I to be such a hard ass about it when baking for the restaurant—that’s not what cooking for others is about. If like me, you prefer your apples unadultered, feel free to leave it out. If you want something different, something new, try swapping in allspice or cloves.

As for apple varieties, I like to use a mix, as each apple has its own unique taste, with a rotating cast of Jonah Gold, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Fuji, and sometimes a sweeter variety added to the mix, like Golden Delicious. I prefer a “just sweet enough” pie, letting the sugar support the apples’ flavor instead of masking it with an overly sweet filling.

Patience is definitely a virtue when it comes to pie, so keep that in mind. Let it cool completely before cutting. I know it seems an impossible thought when that pie comes fresh from the oven, but it’s well worth the wait for a well-rested, perfectly cut piece of pie.

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