Cheddar Cheese + Apple Pie

I recently asked the Prudent Mamas on facebook if I should put cheddar cheese on my apple pie. The answers ranged from "duh, of course!" to "what the ?"

I'd never had my apple pie with cheddar cheese before, but I had often seen it offered, especially on travels to the midwest and the northeast. That night I was feeling indecisive, so I made two small rustic apple pies and enjoyed one with whip cream, and one with cheddar cheese.

Get the Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie verdict and recipe after the jump, and let us know what you think about cheese on pie in the comments for your chance to win this week's surprise prize - that awesome yard of whale fabric.

The Verdict: Cheddar Cheese + Apple Pie = OH YES!

Here's my go-to apple pie recipe.

This makes 2 small rustic apple pies or one regular pie.

For the Crust (you can just buy a pre-made crust, but it's so easy to make)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter
4 tablespoons ice water

Directions
Mix the first 3 ingredients in a food processor. Cut a cold stick of butter into cubes. Pulse until you have a meal with bits no bigger then small peas. Add ice water 2 tablespoons at a time until dough comes together. Smoosh into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Remove, split into two sections, and roll each out into a general circle.

For the Filling
Ingredients
5 medium apples peeled, cored, and sliced
1.5 tablespoons apple pie spice (cinammon, nutmeg, and allspice, but I keep the pre-mixed apple pie spice on hand because i love apple pie so much)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons water

Directions
Mix all of that stuff together. Now you have your filling. Place your circle of crust on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Pile the filling in the center. Fold the edges of the crust over the filling. Brush the crust with melted butter and leave a small pat of butter on top of the filling in the center. Sprinkle the whole thing with sugar (turbanado sugar works nicely). Bake 15-20 minutes at 375, until it's almost done. Open the oven and put a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on top. Bake for another 5-10 minutes until the pie is done and the cheese is all melty.

It doesn't taste super cheesy - it's just that perfect balance of salty and sweet. Even tiny plastic cows love it. Umm, so good, I think I have to make another tonight.