Grandma Wilma’s Apple Pie
The woman, the myth, the legend.
This pie is a pretty big deal. It is the holy grail of Stringfellow recipes, and is possibly the best Apple Pie in American history. It runs circles around standard apple pies and calls into question the very foundation of their construction. This pie is enjoyed by people who don’t even like apple pie, and for those of you that do, be warned. It has the capacity to ruin all other apple pies for you.
Notably, this pie uses shredded apples in the filling, with no spices apart from sugar and flour. In ordinary apple pies, the apples merely play a supporting role, tucked into a syrupy blend of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. They’re more of a backing instrument, adding texture while the sugary, spiced syrup belts out the main melody. Wilma’s pie, however, is no ensemble piece; it’s a solo performance. The shredded apples take center stage, their crisp, natural sweetness commanding attention with every bite. Sugar and flour play the supporting cello and viola, adding depth and harmony without overshadowing the star. The result is a composition that lets the apples sing—purely and vibrantly—a masterpiece of simplicity and flavor. The chef’s choice of which particular apple is used, is therefore pertinent to the outcome, and in Wilma’s kitchen there was no substitute for the Jonathan Apple.
Below is the original, unaltered recipe, which in and of itself was difficult to transcribe. The crust was easy since it was actually inspired by a written recipe. The filling instructions, however, were never put to paper until my Aunt Noreen did so over a decade ago. But even still, what Noreen wrote was more of a “guideline” than a “recipe”. The Stringfellow family has essentially been winging this pie for over 70 years until I forced my mom and her sister to put some real numbers to paper and publish it once and for all.
Apple Pie
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel, core, and shred the apples.
- For every 6 cups of shredded apple (loosely packed) add 1 1/4 cups of sugar, and 2 Tbsp. of flour.
- Combine Flour, Crisco, Salt, and Baking Powder. Mix together.
- Whisk 1 egg and put into a measuring cup. Add 1/3 Tbsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar. Fill the rest of the measuring cup with water. Add to mixture from step 1.
- Combine total mixture into a cohesive dough, divide into 2 parts. One for the pie base, one for the pie lid.
- Roll a dough pieces flat. Cut air vents in the lid, and place the base in a pie dish.
- Pack apple filling into pie shell. Remove excess juice to prevent overflow in oven. (It can make the pie look ugly)
- Place 2 Tbsp. of soft butter in center of apple filling mixture.
- Cover with top crust. Brush with egg white, sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 425 F°. 40 minutes covered, then 20 minutes uncovered.