Foodie Friday: Apple Pandowdy

Apple Pandowdy is a traditional American dish.  There is some disagreement about its origins.  It is a rustic apple pie that was a favourite of Abigail Adams, first lady of the second President no less.

The pie made of apples is topped with puff pastry that is chopped up midway through the bake so that the juices soak in a bit.  The apples are sweetened with sugar or molasses.

So say howdy to an Apple Pandowdy soon.  Here is a traditional recipe:

Apple Pandowdy
Adapted from Eleanor Early’s The New England Cookbook 

4 cups apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4-5 apples)
½ cup apple cider
½ tsp. cinnamon
⅛ tsp cloves
⅛ tsp. nutmeg
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 1½-quart or other deep baking dish. Arrange apple slices in the dish and pour the cider over them. Mix the spices with the sugar and sprinkle that mixture over the apples. Dot with the butter.

2. Make biscuit dough (see recipe below). Roll out the dough about ½-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut a round from the dough slightly smaller than the baking dish and place on top of the apple mixture. Make several slits in the dough with a knife so that steam can escape.

3. Bake pandowdy in the preheated oven until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Before serving, cut up the crust a little, pushing it down into the apples. Serve warm, with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.