French Apple and Cranberry Pie

I think that I've said it before but I love to make pies! Something about taking a fragrant pie out of the oven, serving it warm is just so irresistible. Pies are fun to make, fun to eat. I made this wonderful fall pie to celebrate the season with my friends at the DJWC board meeting.

 Fresh cranberries add  a tart tang to the apples( I used Granny Smith apples which tend to be tart also) .  Perfect  with vanilla ice cream or a slice of Harmon's Cheddar Cheese( I love Harmon's Cheddar Cheese from Sugar Hill, New Hampshire).  Any way you like your pie this one is just delicious!

Pastry
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
2-3 tablespoon apple cider or water
1 egg, beaten


Filling
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 cups thinly sliced pared apples (about 5 medium)
1 cup fresh cranberries

Crumb Topping
Mix one cup flour, 1/2 cup firm butter, and 1/2 cup brown packed sugar with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly.

Heat oven to 425 F. Prepare pastry.

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. With pastry blender cut in butter to the consistency of coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle apple cider over top one tablespoon at a time, mix until pastry holds together. Shape pastry into ball. On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into 11-inch round,  fit into 9-inch pie plate. Turn extra dough at edge into rim and flute or crimp a raised edge.

Stir together sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt; mix lightly with the apples and cranberries. Pour into the pastry-lined pie plate and sprinkle with Crumb Topping

Cover the edge with a 2- to 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking. Bake 40 to 50 minutes.  If the topping is browning too quickly, cover with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!