You can put a winning pie on your Thanksgiving table

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There was plenty of disagreement and plenty of cajoling as the judges sorted out their opinions about the 150 pies entered in the first -- but perhaps not the last, producers say -- pie contest sponsored by ‘Good Food,’ Evan Kleiman’s show on KCRW-FM (89.9). Above, the judges, including Eric Greenspan and Elizabeth Belkind in the center, talk over their choices.

Here’s the winning recipe from the KCRW ‘Good Food’ pie contest Saturday. The pie was baked by Barbara Treves, who lives in Mar Vista. This recipe was not tested in The Times test kitchen.

Forever Favorite Apple Pie

Crust
1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached organic all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vanilla powder
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (freshly made if possible)
1 tablespoon white vinegar, chilled
6-8 tablespoons ice water

Measure out all dry ingredients, combine and place in freezer, keep butter and liquid ingredients in refrigerator for at least one hour prior to preparation.

When ready, add dry ingredients to food processor and pulse to mix thoroughly. Add butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles pea-sized meal. Add vinegar, pulse to mix, then add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough begins to stick together and, when pinched by hand, holds together. Remove from processor and transfer to work surface. Divide the dough into two equal parts and gently form into balls, wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Filling

1 vanilla bean, split seeds scraped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup organic sugar
4 tablespoons organic unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
12 organic apples from farmers market (mixture of Granny Smith, Fuji or other tart, crisp apples the best) – peeled, cored and sliced
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dried sour cherries, soaked in 1/4 cup Calvados for at least 2 hours
4 tablespoons sweet butter

Mix together all dry ingredients, including vanilla bean seeds. Add 2 tablespoons of this dry mixture to roasting pan, along with peeled and sliced apples. Place under broiler and broil until apples are slightly browned but not cooked through. Once nicely browned, remove and add rest of the ingredients, except butter.

Chill pie plate. Roll out one of the dough balls on a lightly floured surface until you get a disc that’s slightly larger than your pie plate and about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Gently place the rolled-out dough in your chilled pie plate.

Add apple mixture, then dot with 4 tablespoons butter. Roll out second ball into a dic about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick and place on top of the apples mixture. Pinch top and bottom dough edges together and form a decorative edge.

Final Topping

1 egg
1 tablespoon cream
Turbinado coarse raw sugar

Beat the egg and cream together in a small dish, then brush top and edges of pie with mixture. Then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil if starting to brown too quickly. Turn pie in oven and cook an additional 15 minutes or until done.

Cool for at least two hours prior to serving.

-- Mary MacVean

Top photo courtesy of KCRW. Photo of Treves by Joseph Treves