Fall is the perfect time of the year for apple pie. Apples are crisp, flavorful and abundant. Diablo Valley Farmers’ Market invited Chef Debbie Shavar from Buttercup Bar & Grill to demonstrate her famous Upside Down Apple Walnut Praline Pie at their Saturday Shadelands Business Park market.

INGREDIENTS:

Apple Filling 

5 large Granny Smith apple (about 2 1/2 lbs.)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 T. flour

2 t. cinnamon

Praline

4 T. butter

¾ cup brown sugar

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 pre-made pie crusts (Pillsbury makes one ready to go)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9 in metal pie pan with a 14 x 14 inch piece of wax paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.  

Apple Filling:

Peel, quarter and core apples.  Cut into 3/4 in slices.  

Place in a large bowl and add sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Toss well to coat and set aside.

Praline:

Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over moderate heat.  

Cook, stirring until melted about 3 minutes.  Stir in walnuts and remove from heat.

Assemble:

Spread praline over the bottom of the wax paper in the pie tin.  Top with a pie crust.  

Pour the apple filling with its juices into the crust, mounding in the center.

Press down firmly.  Place the top crust over the apples.  Trim edges leaving a 3/4 inch border.  

Fold top and bottom crusts together and flute.  Cut a 1 inch circle in the center of the pie.

Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 325 degrees.  Bake for 1 more hour.  

Remove from oven and cool.  Refrigerate overnight.

Serve Heat a large skillet over moderately high heat for 2 minutes.  

Place pie in the skillet and heat for a few minutes.  Invert pie on a plate and peel off wax paper.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.