Apple Pie (Recipe)

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Is there anything more iconic when it comes to Thanksgiving than apple pie? Okay, perhaps pumpkin pie and turkey ... But no question, apple pie ranks right at or near the top when it comes to classic culinary symbols of one of America's favorite family-friendly holidays.

So, take a look at my unique take on apple pie, featuring a crumbly streusel topping and lots of warm and flavorful spices — hopefully it will find its way to your Thanksgiving table!

APPLE PIE

For the crust

• 1 (9-inch) premade, store-bought individual pie crust

• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

• Canola oil or nonstick cooking spray

For the filling

• 8 cups sweet red apple slices (sliced into roughly 1/4" to 1/2" slices) — from approximately 6 large, firm apples

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

• 3/4 cup raw sugar

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 talespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour

For the streusel topping

• 1 1/2 cups of oats

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour

• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Lightly coat a glass or ceramic pie dish with canola oil or nonstick cooking spray. Carefully place pie crust in baking dish and crimp the edges around the dish using a fork. Lightly brush the crust with the beaten egg white. Set aside.

3. To prepare the apple filling, combine the applesauce, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium saucepan, set over medium heat. Whisk to combine and cook, uncovered, whisking often, approximately 20 minutes, until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.

4. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss with sliced apples with both types of flour, and carefully incorporate the slightly-cooled apple sauce mixture. Using a spatula, gently mix until evenly coated, being carefully not to break the apple slices.

5. Transfer apple mixture to the pie dish and set aside.

6. Prepare the streusel topping. Thoroughly combine the oats, all-purpose and whole-wheat pastry flours, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Separately, stir together the canola oil and honey and, when mostly combined, pour over the dry ingredients mixture. Use fingertips to work into a crumbly texture. Spread evenly over the top of the apple mixture, being carefully not to pack the mixture too densely into a single layer (the crumbly texture will result in a better streusel during baking).

7. Bake for about 70 minutes (or 1 hour, 10 minutes). Check on the pie often; If streusel is burning, cover with a layer of aluminum foil to prevent further browning.

8. Remove and set aside to cool completely, or until the pie is at a suitable heat for serving. Alternatively, re-heat later when ready to serve.