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This rustic holiday pie boasts a creamy apple filling. The secret ingredient: vanilla ice cream, right in the filling. This recipe was inspired by Holly Ricciardi, owner of the now-closed Magpie Bakery; read about our visit here. The hallmark of Dutch apple pie is its creamy apple filling, but we didn’t rely on the traditional cream to achieve it. Instead we added melted vanilla ice cream to the apple filling for extra creaminess and a rich vanilla flavor that nicely complements apple pie. We sliced Golden Delicious apples and let them sit in the melted ice cream along with cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice until they were soft and pliable; this way, they packed easily into the pie plate and created a cohesive interior that baked evenly. Before baking, we sprinkled a mixture of melted butter, flour, brown sugar, and a good dose of salt over the top of the pie for a supremely buttery crumble topping. Letting the pie cool completely before slicing into it allowed it to firm up so that we could produce beautifully clean wedges.

Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pie

cup, ice water

sour cream

(6 1/4 ounces 177 grams), all-purpose flour

teaspoons, sugar

teaspoon, salt

tablespoons, unsalted butter,

melted, vanilla ice cream

raisins

sugar

lemon juice

teaspoon, vanilla extract

teaspoon, cinnamon

(5 ounces 142 grams), all-purpose flour

99 grams), light brown sugar

tablespoons, unsalted butter, melted

We prefer Golden Delicious or Gala apples here, but Fuji, Braeburn, or Granny Smith varieties also work well. You may substitute 1/2 cup of heavy cream for the melted ice cream, if desired. This pie is best when baked a day ahead of time and allowed to rest overnight. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

FOR THE CRUST: Combine water and sour cream in bowl. Process flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Scatter butter over top and pulse until butter is size of large peas, about 10 pulses. Add sour cream mixture and pulse until dough forms clumps and no dry flour remains, about 12 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Turn dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and form into 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Wrapped dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let dough thaw completely on counter before rolling.)

FOR THE FILLING: Toss all ingredients in large bowl until apples are evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or up  to 2 hours.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Let chilled dough sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes, before rolling. Roll dough into 12-inch circle on lightly floured counter. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto 9-inch pie plate, letting excess dough hang over edge. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into plate bottom with your other hand.

Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of plate. Tuck overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of plate. Crimp dough evenly around edge of plate using your fingers. Wrap dough-lined plate loosely in plastic and refrigerate until dough is firm, at least 30 minutes.

FOR THE TOPPING: Stir all ingredients in bowl until no dry spots remain and mixture forms clumps. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Place dough-lined plate on parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet. Working with 1 large handful at a time, distribute apple mixture in plate, pressing into even layer and filling in gaps before adding more. Take care not to mound apple mixture in center of plate. Pour any remaining liquid from bowl into pie. Break topping (it will harden in refrigerator) into pea-size crumbs and distribute evenly over apple mixture. Pat topping lightly to adhere.

Bake pie on sheet until top is golden brown and paring knife inserted in center meets no resistance, about 1 hour 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let pie cool on wire rack for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Serve.

Recipe Instructions

Test Kitchen Techniques

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This rustic holiday pie boasts a subtly creamy filling. The key ingredient was hiding in plain sight.

Unlike its sweet, cakey Northern counterpart, Southern cornbread is thin, crusty, and decidedly savory. It is traditionally made with cornmeal and no flour or sugar, so it is naturally gluten-free from the start. We used yellow cornmeal (which we toasted first to bring out its potent corn flavor) and, veering from tradition, added a small amount of sugar to enhance the natural sweetness of the corn. Creating a cornmeal mush by moistening the toasted cornmeal with a combination of sour cream and milk (favored over the traditional buttermilk for extra richness) produced a fine, moist crumb. Baking the cornbread in a greased preheated cast-iron skillet gave it a seriously crunchy, golden crust. Using a combination of oil and butter for greasing the skillet (as well as in the batter) struck the perfect balance of flavor and performance—the butter added flavor while the oil raised the smoke point so the butter wouldn’t burn.

Gluten-Free Skillet Cornbread

(319 grams/2 1/4 cups), cornmeal

cup, milk

cup, vegetable oil

unsalted butter

tablespoons, sugar

teaspoon, baking powder

teaspoon, baking soda

eggs

We prefer to use a cast-iron skillet here because it makes the best crust; however, any 10-inch ovensafe skillet will work for this recipe. Cornbread is best served warm.

Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place 10-inch cast-iron skillet on middle rack and heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spread cornmeal over rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven on lower-middle rack until fragrant and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.

Carefully transfer toasted cornmeal to large bowl and whisk in sour cream and milk; set aside. When skillet is hot, add oil and continue to heat until just smoking, about 5 minutes.

Using potholders (skillet handle will be hot), remove skillet from oven, carefully add butter, and gently swirl to incorporate. Pour hot oil-butter mixture into cornmeal mixture and whisk to incorporate. Whisk in sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, followed by eggs.

Quickly scrape batter into hot skillet and smooth top. Bake on middle rack until top begins to crack and sides are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking. Let bread cool in skillet on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool on rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.

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Stand aside, leftover turkey sandwich. We present to you the ultimate Thanksgiving leftover hack. By Sasha MarxLeftovers are an essential part of the Thanksgiving dinner experience, and we wanted to see if we could push the envelope a little for those of us who tire of turkey sandwiches or reheated facsimile plates of Thursday’s feast. A group brainstorming session led us to the idea of “leftover mashed potato tots.” The majority of tater tot recipes out there are really just potato croquettes in disguise—with bread crumbs trying to fill in for the crispy shredded potatoes that make up the crunchy crust of an authentic tot. We wanted our version to highlight leftover mashed potatoes from T-Day, but had&nbsp;that shredded-potato crunch, too. We solved the issue by peeling, shredding, and blanch-frying some more russets to create an all-potato coating for our mashed centers. Because we didn’t rinse off their natural potato starch before blanching them, the potato shreds adhered to each other after blanching, and we were&nbsp;able to spread them into a sheet (kind of like the rice when making rolled sushi). The next problem was the consistency of the mashed potatoes: not everyone's&nbsp;Thanksgiving potatoes are the same.&nbsp;So wehad to find a workaround to account for variances in fat content and texture and guarantee crispy tots for all. Those who have made potato croquettes know that fluffy, dry potatoes yield the best fried treats, while loose and overworked potato purées usually end with greasy, gummy blowouts and tears during frying. Instead of turning to flour or eggs to tighten the potatoes up, we busted out the instant mashed potato flakes. By tightening the potatoes with more potatoes we were&nbsp;intensifying the potato flavor rather than diluting it with flour or eggs (though we do have a cornstarch substitute that works well). The now-uniform mashed potatoes then get formed into cylinders, placed on the shredded potato sheet, rolled up, cut into tot-sized pieces, and fried for the ultimate croquette–tater tot mashup.

Leftover Mashed Potato Tots

potatoes

cups, vegetable oil,

leftover, mashed potatoes

tablespoons, potato flakes

The instant mashed potato flakes absorb excess water in the potatoes, creating a firm, moldable texture and providing insurance against blowouts during frying. If you don’t have potato flakes, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.&nbsp;The oil-blanching technique is used in the classic recipe for French fries. Frying the potatoes first at a low temperature allows the potato starch to dissolve at the surface, causing the cell walls to stick together and form a thick layer. The second fry at a higher temperature turns that layer into a porous, crispy crust.&nbsp;We recommend dunking these in gravy and cranberry sauce or stuffing them in the ultimate turkey sandwich.&nbsp;

Shred potatoes on large holes of box grater. Set fine-mesh strainer over large, deep heatproof bowl. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over high heat to 325 degrees F/163 degrees C. Fry shredded potatoes until softened but not browned, about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Immediately drain potatoes in prepared strainer; let potatoes drain for 1 minute, then transfer to large bowl and let cool for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Transfer oil back to Dutch oven.

Stir mashed potatoes and potato flakes together in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave until hot and steaming, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cool for at least 15 minutes.

Place 12 by 16-inch piece of parchment on cutting board. Spread 1 cup blanched shredded potatoes into even 3½ by 16-inch strip on bottom half of prepared parchment; press with spatula to flatten and remove gaps between potato pieces.

Portion mashed potato mixture into 21 pieces (½ ounce each) and form into ¾-inch wide, 1-inch tall cylinders.  Following this video , place 7 potato cylinders on bottom edge of shredded potato sheet, leaving ½ inch between each cylinder. Lift bottom edge of parchment and roll tightly over mashed potato cylinders, forming log. (If you have ever rolled sushi (or seen sushi rolled), it’s exactly the same technique.) Smooth and tighten log, working from center out to edges of parchment. Continue rolling and tightening until log is uniform. Unroll parchment and slide potato log onto cutting board. Feel for gaps between tots and, using sharp knife, cut at gaps. Using your hands, seal ends of tots and tighten into compact cylinders; set aside on baking sheet or large plate. Repeat rolling process two more times with remaining shredded potatoes and remaining mashed potato mixture. (At this point, formed tots can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours. Do not store in refrigerator overnight or freeze, as tots may then burst when fried).

Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C. Add one-third of tots and fry until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain oil temperature of 325 degrees F/160 degrees C and stirring occasionally to prevent tots from sticking to bottom. Transfer to paper-towel lined plate and season with salt to taste. Return oil to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C and repeat with remaining tots in 2 batches. Serve immediately.

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Could we re-create this bodega classic at home? There's nothing like a real bodega chopped cheese sandwich—packed with ground beef and American cheese—straight off a flat-top griddle in East Harlem. But not wanting to travel to New York City every time the craving hit, we developed our own recipe, which was inspired by the version sold at Blue Sky Deli in East Harlem; read about our visit here. We started with 1 pound of 85 percent lean ground beef, enough to pack four soft sub rolls. Cooking the meat in a nonstick skillet and breaking it up with a wooden spoon mimicked the texture of the meat we ate in New York. Lawry's Seasoned Salt and Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning packed in tons of flavor. Wrapping the warm, assembled sandwiches tightly in parchment paper swaddled the cheese and beef to help the filling meld.

Chopped Cheese Sandwiches

pound, 85 percent lean ground beef

teaspoon, Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning

teaspoon, Lawry's Seasoned Salt

(8-inch), sub rolls, split

mayonnaise

tablespoons, ketchup

yellow, American cheese (8 ounces)

thin, tomato slices (2 tomatoes)

cups, shredded iceberg lettuce

The Goya seasoning can be found in the spice or international section of your grocery store; Lawry's Seasoned Salt is usually stocked with other salt blends in the spice section. You can wrap the sandwiches in butcher paper instead of parchment paper, if desired.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine beef, onion, all-purpose seasoning, and seasoned salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, constantly breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until cooked through and excess moisture is driven off, about 8 minutes.

Arrange sub rolls on baking sheet and spread mayonnaise and ketchup evenly on cut sides of rolls. Divide beef mixture evenly among rolls. Layer 2 slices American cheese over beef on each roll. Bake until bread is warmed through and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Layer tomatoes and lettuce over cheese. Close 1 sandwich, using spatula as needed to keep ingredients contained within roll (sandwich will be very full). Starting from corner of 16 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper, immediately wrap sandwich tightly. Repeat closing and wrapping with remaining 3 sandwiches. To serve, cut sandwiches in half through parchment paper and unwrap as you eat.

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Cream of Broccoli Soup

vegetable oil

medium, onion, chopped medium

broccoli

medium, garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)

tablespoon, unbleached all-purpose flour

dry white wine

cups, low-sodium chicken broth, plus extra as needed

vegetable broth

bay leaf

half-and-half

salt black pepper

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and broccoli stems and cook until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk in chicken and vegetable broths, smoothing out any lumps, and bring to a simmer. Stir in broccoli florets and bay leaf, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the florets are tender, 7 to 10 minutes.

Remove and discard bay leaf. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return soup to clean pot.

Stir in half-and-half and additional chicken broth as needed to adjust soup’s consistency. Heat soup gently over low heat until hot (do not boil). Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Could we really make a rhubarb pie without adding strawberries? We used a double crust for our Rhubarb Custard Pie dough, but we found that a lattice top crust worked just as well. Cooling the pie completely ensured that the juices didn’t leach out when we cut into it.

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Rhubarb Custard Pie

(9-inch), pie dough rounds

(7 ounces 198 grams), sugar

large, eggs

tablespoons, all-purpose flour

(454 grams), rhubarb, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and chopped

On lightly floured surface, roll 1 dough round into 12-inch circle. Transfer to 9-inch pie plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll second dough into 12-inch circle and refrigerate, covered, on large plate for 30 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk sugar, eggs, flour, and salt in large bowl. Stir in rhubarb. Scrape filling into prepared pie shell. Brush border of dough with water, then arrange top crust over filling. Crimp edges of pie. Cut four 1-inch slits near center of pie.

Bake until juices are bubbling and crust is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, about 4 hours. Serve.

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Top Tags

Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pie

Gluten-Free Skillet Cornbread

Leftover Mashed Potato Tots

Chopped Cheese Sandwiches

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Rhubarb Custard Pie

Top 6 us and canada recipes from across the web

The most viewed us and canada recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pie

Gluten-Free Skillet Cornbread

Leftover Mashed Potato Tots

Chopped Cheese Sandwiches

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Rhubarb Custard Pie

The most viewed us and canada recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine