Recipe: Smash Apple Pie

the appetizer:

Pump up your baking skills with A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman, with recipes like Smash Apple Pie, Italian Hard Rolls, and Pralines-and-Cream Pecan-Caramel Muffins.

Smash Apple Pie

Makes 6 to 8 servings

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This is a flash of a pie that is as good as the best pastry-shop offering. It uses two frozen piecrusts, shredded apples, and an oven—all for a pie that is ready in barely an hour. You can make Smash Pie with peaches, apricots, blueberries, or almost any fruit filling you choose.

2 (8- or 9-inch) deep-dish frozen pastry shells
5 large apples, shredded (unpeeled)
1/2 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar

Finishing Touches

Milk, as required
Sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place one frozen pastry shell on prepared baking sheet.

Place a sheet of wax paper on a work surface. Shred apples, stopping just before you get to core (photo 1). Place shredded apples in a large mixing bowl. Add cranberries, cinnamon, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup sugar. Toss well. Spoon fruit filling into bottom pastry shell. Brush a tiny bit of water around edge of pastry shell; then gently invert second frozen pastry shell onto filled pie, using foil pie pan as a guide (photo 2). Remove or peel away foil pie pan on top and discard.

Let pie stand 10 to 15 minutes to partially thaw pastry shells enough to be able to crimp edges. Pressing gently, "smash" top pastry shell onto filling just slightly and then crimp edges with fingertips or fork tines to seal.

Brush pie with milk and sprinkle with sugar (photo 3).

Bake until fruit begins to produce juice, about 45 to 55 minutes.