Makes two bottom crusts or one bottom and one top crust, i.e. you can use the second crust for the top layer instead of the crumb topping. I prefer the crumb topping.

2 cups flour ¾ cup butter ¼ teaspoon salt 5-6 Tablespoons cold water

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour and salt. Using pastry blender (see picture below) or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs
2. Now sprinkle 5-6 Tablespoons of very cold water, 1 Tbsp. at a time over the flour mixture, toss with fork to blend lightly but evenly
3. Then take the mixture and form a ball, knead gently 2-3 times
4. Divide the dough in half
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half dough to 12-in. circle, fit into pie plate (we have special pie plates, but you can also use a quiche pan) , trim edges. Take a fork and tap down lightly on the edge of the crust (to make the edge look nicer)

6 large apples (or more), cored and sliced ¾ cups white granulated sugar 3 Tablespoons flour ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix together ¾ sugar, 3 Tablespoons flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle over apples and toss to coat. Spread evenly in the unbaked pie crust.

Top with crumb topping (see recipe below)* and bake at 175 degrees (preheat oven) for 45 minutes or until the juices start to bubble and spill over onto your oven. You might want to put the pie on a cookie sheet (Blech? What you bake “Plätzen” on) to prevent a big mess.

OR

6 cups of fresh (or frozen) blueberries, rinsed and stems removed (if using frozen, defrost and drain first) ½ teaspoon lemon peel (bio, natürlich) 1 Tablespoon lemon juice ¼ cup flour ½ cup white granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted), cut into small pieces

Combine all ingredients except for the butter and toss to coat. Put the small pieces of butter on the bottom of the pie crust. Spread the blueberry filling in the unbaked pie crust.

Top with crumb topping (see recipe below)* and bake at 175 degrees (preheat oven) for 45 minutes or until the juices start to bubble and spill over onto your oven. Again, I recommend putting the pie on a cookie sheet.

Using a pastry cutter, start by mixing together ½ cup flour, ½ cup sugar and ½ cup butter until evenly distributed and crumbly in texture. (This is what the recipe calls for but I find that it is too much butter and you don’t get the right texture. So I end up adding equal parts of both sugar and flour until I get the right consistency. So, keep adding one spoon of flour and one spoon of sugar until you get it right). Sprinkle crumb topping on top of your pie and now you’re ready to bake it.

This is a pastry cutter. I cannot find a German translation for it, and I have never seen one here. I bought mine in the States. They say you can also use two knives, but I prefer this.