Apple Pie Baked in a Brown Paper Bag

Picture taken straight out of the oven, I had just cut the hole into the top of the bag.

This is a recipe my mom got out of the newspaper years and years ago. They sell them at The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago, WI and it's now famous because it beat Bobby Flay's apple pie on the Food Network.

It's easy to make, there are no crazy tricks. The apple part is pretty much the same as every other apple pie recipe out there. It has a sugar cookie like top crust, though it's not really a crust and you bake it in a paper bag that's been stapled shut. The bag does not catch on fire, I promise. The first few minutes in the oven it smells like it may burst into flames but it's never happened to me. Promise. So that's it. Try one today, and if you really want the full WI experience you'll eat your slice of pie with a nice slice of extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Apple Pie Baked in a Brown Paper Bag

(Pie)

2 1/2 pounds apples

1/2 C sugar

2 T flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 unbaked pie shell

2 T lemon juice

(Topping)

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C flour

1/2 C butter

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place in a large bowl. Mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples. Toss to coat. Spoon into pastry shell and drizzle lemon juice over the apples. Preheat oven to 425

Make Topping: Combine sugar and flour in a bowl and cut in butter until you have fully incorporated the butter and are left with pea sized lumps. Form into a ball, divide into fourths, squish each one into a thin disk shape and cover the pie as best you can, it won't be perfect.

Slide pie into a clean brown paper bag (store logos are fine) on a cookie sheet. Fold open end over twice and secure with paper clips or staples.

Bake at 425 for one hour. After removing from the oven immediately cut away the top of the bag. If you don't it will get mushy.