Nonna’s apple pie became a family tradition the year she decided to “make an American dessert” for her almost–Bicentennial baby’s first birthday (that’s me!). Since then, family and friends have gathered around this pie to taste the love, simple comfort, and care she poured into making it again and again.
Over the years, friends and loved ones have enjoyed a whole Nonna’s Apple Pie at Thanksgiving, as a Christmas gift, and when they’ve ordered from my dessert catering through Mili’s Sweets. It feels so good to have mastered what my sweet mom (aka Nonna) passed down to me, and it is a joy to share it with others.
Our whole family knows: it is not Thanksgiving at home without Nonna’s Apple Pie! Today I’m in my kitchen prepping to make it happen once more, and I love that Nonna will be right beside me to supervise.
Scroll down for a link to her recipe, my apple pie baking tips, and the other desserts I’ve created using this beloved recipe.
On your dessert plate this holiday, I recommend a slice of Nonna’s Apple Pie, a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream, and another favorite pie like Pumpkin or Blueberry Pie.
Baking Tips for Nonna’s Apple Pie
How many apples?
We use 13-15 Granny Smith Apples, cored, peeled, and cut in similar shape for a 9″ pie.
we drain twice:
First we drain the marinating apples from the liquid in the bag, before placing them in the crust, and we’ll drain the whole pie again, when it is about 3/4 done with the baking process.
Draining a hot and heavy pie requires strength and skill. You wear very secure oven mitts, carry it to your kitchen sink, angle the pie as slight as possible over the sink to allow one area of liquid to drain without having the pie toss over. I’ve never had an accident. Please just be careful!
choose your crust:
Nonna has accomplished her crust in many versions. You can even use a pre-made/store bought crust and would be happy with this flavor!
Here I share a few different pie crusts recipes on the blog that you can search or link to:
flaky pie crust
gluten free pie crust
safeguard your oven:
Juices will flow from the pie while it bakes, and I recommend placing either a cookie sheet or a shallow roasting pan under the pie to capture anything that may happen to flow out. This keeps your oven clean and makes it easier to remove a heavy pie from the oven.
protect the crust:
If you don’t want crust edges over browning, create an aluminum foil guard. Baking hot spots will be different depending on your oven. I will loosely and completely cover the pie with foil after the hottest temperature bake, and then just at the crust, checking every 15 minutes.
Nonna’s apple pie filling and glaze
Ingredients
- 6 Granny Smith Apples
- 2-3 tablespoons juice of a half-lemon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons all purpose flour for gluten-free apple pie filling, substitute with corn starch
Instructions
apple pie filling
- Use green, Granny Smith apples for this recipe. Clean, peel, and core each apple. You'll want uniform slices, so that the apples are just about the same texture after they are baked/cooked. For regular-sized slices for an apple pie: Cut the cored apple into half. Then cut each half into four slices the long way, and each of those pieces will be cut into four. (This renders approximately 16 pieces per half, or 32 pieces per apple.)For smaller pieces to fill frittelle: You would double the apple-pie cuts. First cut the cored apple in half, continue with four slices from the half-apple, and then cut each of those 4 slices the long way to make 8. You will cut them into four cube-like pieces. (This renders approximately 32 pieces per half, or about 64 pieces per apple.)
- Place the cut apples into a gallon sized plastic bag, or reusable, sealable container.
- Add the juice of a whole lemon, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and an all-purpose flour of your choice.
- Seal your container and move the ingredients around to completely mix and cover the apples. All of the sugars should be dissolved and there will be liquid. Allow the apples to soak/marinate in the fridge for about an hour.
- Strain most (for apple pie) or all of the juices (for frittelle) from the apples.
pour-over reduction – to use as glaze or dipping sauce
- Reserve/keep the juices of the strained apple pie filling, if you want to make a pour-over reduction/glaze.
- To make a pour-over glaze pour the juices into a pan. At medium heat, cook until bubbly and thicker than before. Place into a container to pour over fresh-made desserts, or to use as a dipping sauce.
Thanksgiving pie at home
Nonna at working on a pie for us
Apple Pie with crystalized sugar- Mili’s Sweets Apple Pie mini trifles
apple Pie with Crystalized sugar
Enjoy this precious time, and take care,
