Lingonberry Apple Pie

Exit 88 off of I-94 holds a dear old world secret. Nestled in the quaint downtown of Osseo rests a small Norwegian restaurant and bakery. This little gem has become our regular pit stop whenever we venture into Wisconsin for one reason only...their award winning pies. They put forth an astounding lingonberry apple pie. I cannot promise this pie comes anyway near the pies they create, but the little red berries brought great joy to my Scandinavian self.

adapted from Pillsbury's apple-berry pie recipe

yields one 9" pie

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or frozen lingonberry

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

pastry recipe for a 9 inch double crust pie

5 to 6 cups sliced peeled apples (5 to 6 medium)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

The Process:
Preheat oven to 425

In 1-quart saucepan, mix berries, 1 cup of the sugar, 1 Tbsp of the cornstarch and the water. Heat to boiling. Boil 5 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.

Prepare your pastry and line a 9" pie plate with one crust.

In large bowl, mix apples, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, the cinnamon and nutmeg until apples are coated. Stir in cooled cranberry mixture.

Spoon into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust. Alternatively, cut second crust into strips and arrange in a lattice work over the filling, pinching the edges to seal.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. After 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.

My Modifications:
The only change I made to Pillsbury's recipe is an essential change...I used lingonberries in lieu of cranberries. These can be tricky to find. Fortunately a global market in town happens to have a Scandinavian vendor...who happens to carry the tart little rubies in frozen form.

The Review:
For a first attempt at a lattice top, this pie turned out quite well! The apples stayed firm and a tad tart. Come fall the bounty of beautiful apples should yeild one or two much better for baking. The lingonberries offer a tartness, not unlike cranberries. A bit of lemon zest and a touch more sugar were wanted though.

Regardless, this apple berry pie provided a wonderful breakfast the next day...as well as dessert later on!