Lulen's Grated Apple Pie

Lulen’s grated apple pie is what happens when an old-school baker decides slicing is too fussy. Grating the apples on a box grater (or in the food processor) turns the fruit into a soft, fluffy mass that bakes into something between an apple custard and a thick apple butter, all wrapped in a single bottom crust.

The egg and melted butter bind the grated apples like a quiche filling. As the pie bakes, the apple liquid concentrates instead of pooling, and the pecan topping crisps in the dry oven heat.

The two-temperature bake is the trick that gets the bottom crust set before all that fruit moisture has a chance to soak in. Ten minutes of high heat, then a long stretch at moderate to finish.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a coarse grater for shredding, not the fine side. Fine-grated apples turn to mush and weep too much liquid; coarse shreds hold structure.
• Tart, firm apples like Granny Smith or Braeburn give the best balance against the sugar. Soft varieties like McIntosh collapse into baby food.
• If grating in a food processor, leaving the skins on is fine and adds fiber and color flecks. By hand, the skins shred unevenly and give a stringy texture.
• Toss the grated apples with the cinnamon and sugar quickly and bake right away. Sitting too long pulls juice out and makes the bottom soggy.
• Watch the pecans in the last 15 minutes. They go from toasted to bitter fast in a moderate oven; tent loosely with foil if they darken too quickly.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger or ¼ teaspoon nutmeg to the filling for warmer spice notes.
• Swap the pecans for chopped walnuts or sliced almonds for a different crunch.
• Drizzle finished slices with a quick caramel sauce or warm with vanilla ice cream.