Pantry apple pie: classic flavor from the shelf

Apple pie smells like a holiday even when it's an ordinary Tuesday. Most people file it under fresh-apple work, the kind you only make when a bushel shows up on the counter. It doesn't have to be. You can build a good one straight off the pantry shelf, and it holds up next to the version I grew up eating.

The part that surprised me is the filling. Fresh apples give off water as they cook, and if you're not careful you end up with soup under the crust. That problem goes away when you start from freeze-dried.

Why this works from the pantry

Two ingredients do the heavy lifting here.

• Freeze dried apple slices rehydrate in the cider instead of leaking into it. You get concentrated apple flavor and slices that stay firm, so the filling sets clean and holds a shape when you cut it.
• Reconstituted Powdered Vitamin Butter and an egg wash from Powdered Vitamin Eggs give you the rich, buttery taste and the golden crust without a single perishable ingredient. They also add 33 essential nutrients and 13g of protein.

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Freeze-dried apple pie

This is a single-crust pie, kept simple on purpose.

Ingredients

For the filling

• 3 cups freeze-dried apple slices

• 2 ½ cups apple cider or apple juice

• ⅔ cup sugar (adjust to your sweetness preference)

• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour or cornstarch, for thickening

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp nutmeg

• A pinch of salt

• 2 tbsp reconstituted powdered vitamin butter (optional, for richness)

For the crust

• One 9-inch single-crust pie shell, store-bought or your own

• Rehydrated powdered egg wash (optional, for a golden shine)

Instructions

1. Rehydrate the apples. Combine the freeze-dried apple slices with the cider or juice in a bowl. Stir gently and let them soak about 5 minutes, then drain them well.

2. Cook the filling. In a saucepan, mix the drained apples with the sugar, flour or cornstarch, and spices. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the apples soften and the mixture thickens and turns glossy. Taste here and adjust the sugar or spice. For the buttery note, pull the pan off the heat and stir in the reconstituted butter.

3. Assemble the pie. Heat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Fit the crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Pour in the warm filling and smooth the top. Leave it open-faced or add a lattice if you have extra dough. Brush the crust with the egg wash for a golden finish.

4. Bake. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

5. Cool and serve. Let the pie rest at least one hour before slicing. That's the hard part, but it lets the filling set so you get clean wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream if you like.

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Two things that save a pie

• Taste your rehydrated apples before you add sugar. If they're already sweet, cut the sugar back.

• If the filling runs thin after cooking, simmer it another minute or two, or whisk in a little more flour or cornstarch.

Comfort you can keep on the shelf

This pie uses ingredients that sit in the pantry for years and still deliver on a night you feel like baking. The Freeze Dried Apple Slices, Powdered Vitamin Butter, and Powdered Vitamin Eggs mean you don't have to plan a grocery run to make it. Keep the three on hand and apple pie is always about an hour away.