When I saw this recipe I was intrigued. It uses pineapple juice and does not have cinnamon or nutmeg. That said, it was really a simple pie, especially thanks to modern technology. I used an apple peeler/corer/slicer to do the apples and my food processor to make the crust. I ended up cooking it an extra 30 minutes, because it wouldn't brown. Even after that the crust wasn't very brown, but I think that was just the crust. I just used a basic crust from Better Homes & Gardens.
The only real issue with the recipe was that it called for butter & salt but doesn't say when to add them. I chose to add the salt with sugar and juice and then the butter with the vanilla.
Because the apples were sliced and precooked, they ended up really mushy. When you eat it, it is kind of like eating applesauce. I don't know that is a bad thing, but I prefer a more firm apple pie. I would be curious to see what texture would be like if you didn't precook the apples. As for the taste, the pineapple juice was good, but it made the pie REALLY sweet. I mean REALLY, REALLY sweet. I liked it, but, make sure to get a small piece. It was better with whipped cream, oddly enough. I love sweet pies, but this was a little much for me. I debated between a 2.5 and a 3, the flavor is interesting and tasty, but in the end, I think when I make apple pie, I would choose one with cinnamon and nutmeg and not quite as sweet or mushy, so I am giving it a 2.5.
Washington Apple
1 C sugar
1 C unsweetened pineapple juice
6 large, tart apples (I used Granny Smith), peeled, cored & sliced
1/2 t salt
1 T cornstarch
1 T butter
1/2 t vanilla
1 recipe 2-crust pie crust
Put sugar and pineapple juice to boil. Add apples and cook slowly until tender, it was about 7-10 minutes. With a slotted spoon lift apples out, and lay them in the pan lined with an unbaked pie crust. Dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of water and add to the boiling syrup and cook until it thickens. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Pour over apples in pie crust. Cover top with pastry strips. Bake in hot oven, 400-degrees for 15 minutes, then 350-degrees for 30-60 minutes.
Always remember the texture and sweetness of apple pie varies A LOT by the variety of apple used. A quicker cooking apple will always give you a more applesauce texture.
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