Amy Traverso Pork & Apple Pie with Cheddar Sage Crust - Home & Family

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: low-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Low-fat cheese reduces calories while maintaining flavor.

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: turkey breast

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground pork is often less expensive and still flavorful.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier, while margarine is often cheaper.

brown sugar

🥗Healthier: coconut sugar

💰Cheaper: white sugar

White sugar is a common and cheaper alternative.

Prepare a mixture of firm sweet and firm tart apples, using pink lady and granny smith apples.

Cook the apples over medium to medium-low heat until softened.

Swap out the cooked apples for the pork filling.

Cook the pork with warm spices including cloves, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, brown sugar, and salt until browned and cooked through.

Transfer the cooked pork mixture to a food processor and pulse five times to achieve a fine, sandy texture.

Prepare the crust by working butter into flour with fingers to create flakes, then mix in shredded orange cheddar cheese.

Layer the ground pork mixture into the bottom of the pie crust, smoothing it out with a spatula.

Layer the cooked apples on top of the pork mixture, either piling them on or arranging them in concentric circles.

Roll the top crust over a rolling pin and unroll it over the pie to avoid tearing.

Seal the edges by rolling the bottom crust up over the top crust and crimping the edges with fingers.

Cut steam vents in the top crust and brush with an egg wash for shine.

Press fresh sage leaves into the egg wash on top of the pie before baking.

Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens