Old-Fashioned Apple Pandowdy
An old-fashioned dish similar to pie, this skillet apple pandowdy recipe relies on its juicy apple filling and a buttery crust.
By Yankee Magazine|Oct 15 2021|
Apple Pandowdy Recipe
Photo Credit: Aimee TuckerAn old-fashioned favorite, the pandowdy is, by definition, a cooked fruit dessert sweetened with maple syrup or molasses and topped with a pie pastry. The name refers to the act of “dowdying” the crust — that is, breaking it up with a knife and pressing it into the bubbling juices — midway through baking. While it’s not the prettiest of pastries, what it lacks in streamlined good looks it more than makes up for in rich flavor. This apple pandowdy recipe from the award-winning The Apple Lover’s Cookbook by Amy Traverso (W.W. Norton) is a keeper.
Note: The filling for a dowdy should be wetter at the outset than that of a pie or a crisp. As the crust bakes, partially submerged in the filling, it has a thickening effect.
SEE MORE:
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Yield:
6 servings
Total Time:
1 hour, 45 minutes minutesHands-on Time:
1 hour minutes
For the Crust
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
First, make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until well combined. Sprinkle the butter cubes on top and use your fingers to work them in (you want to rub your thumb against your fingertips, smearing the butter as you do). Do this until the mixture looks like cornmeal with some pea-sized bits remaining. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water on top and stir with a fork until the dough begins to come together. If needed, add another tablespoon ice water (you shouldn’t need much more). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead three times. Gather the dough into a ball, then press into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
For the Filling
Ingredients
8 large firm-tart apples (about 4 pounds) such as Granny Smith or Northern Spy, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and set a rack to the middle position. Arrange the apples in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet with sides at least 2 inches high. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. In a small bowl, stir the maple syrup with 1/2 cup water and pour over the apples.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out into a rectangle about 9 inches wide, 11 inches long, and 1/4 inch thick. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into squares roughly 3 inches across. Arrange the squares over the apples, making a concentric pattern, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake the pandowdy until juices are bubbling and the pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to gently press the pastry down into the juices so it’s mostly (about 80% submerged) Return the pan to the oven bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the pastry is nicely glazed and the sauce has thickened.
One of the ingredient is ginger. But it is not mentioned in the ingredients section. Only in the instructions section. Do I use it and if so, how much? Thanks Donna
Not a big fan of ginger…even in Chinese food.
I dont think this recipe asked what we liked or what we disliked as in food choices Jim!
My oh my, Tina! A bit snarky, aren’t we?
Barb, my thought exactly!
Hi Donna,
Thanks for pointing that out! The amount of ginger has been added to the recipe.
I would suggest you cut back on the maple syrup a little bit. Other than that I love
This recipe.
My Dad used to make this a lot when I was a kid. However, I don’t remember there ever being maple syrup in it and don’t much care for the flavor. Would just corn syrup be ok because there are lots of other flavors in it? Thoughts anyone or has anyone tried it this way? Thanks!
Remember the song, “Shoo fly pie, an apple pan dowdy makes your eyes light up?” From a few years ago.
…and your mammy says howdy!
Jim, I just now am listening to the song as sung by Dinah Shore and the line “your tummy say Howdy!”
A family member use to serve her pandowdy with a lemon sauce. Has anyone heard of this and do you have the recipe?
Jody, this is my Mom’s recipe. I hope it brings back good memories for you!
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
4 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup water
1 teaspoon white vinegar (can sub with lemon juice)
dash nutmeg
Melt butter, add flour and sugar and mix well. Add water gradually, stirring constantly. Add nutmeg, vinegar and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency (syrup like). The pie is served cold, but the sauce is served over the pie hot.
A thousand Thank you’s for the lemon sauce recipe.
Can’t wait to make the apple pandowdy!I’m originally from New England and love all the recipes!
First time I made this for my husband (20yrs my senior) in the 80’s he started crying. Upset I asked what I had done..he said his grandmother had made it when he was a little boy (during depression) so the memory of his grandmother came flooding back. The dish was perfect so too the moment.
that made me cry.
Would you add molasses in addition to maple syrup or cut back on the syrup? My dads mother used to make this for us, and I’m close to 70, looking forward to making it for us now. Thank you.
What is the idea of a pin it if you can’t use it! Never works!
Can you make this in a Pyrex dish if you don’t have an ovenproof skillet? Either an oblong or square dish (about two-inch sides), or even a casserole (with the higher sides)?
Never tried this. Sounds delicious.
I cannot wait to try this. I’am a transplant to New England and the recipes in the magazine and on line are fabulous. I look so forward to getting the magazine and the daily E-mails. They are refreshing and good. We all need good nowadays.
I made this last year in a cast iron skillet and my apples turned a very unpleasant shade of dirty black. Tasted ok but looked awful. The pan in your picture looks like cast iron. What did I do wrong?
First thing I considered! Cast iron can be tricky in its reaction to ingredients. Years ago I made a huge kettle of lentil soup, only to be shocked at the shiny black, foamy result. Threw it away–what a waste! Reaction to blame.
Haven’t tried this since I was a kid! Late 70’s now.Tried to buy pre made pie crust this am and they were out,so being somewhat ambitious,I made this recipe! Turned out delicious!
I love me some Apple Pie
I kept thinking that the photos did not match the recipe, and I was correct. Please see this older link. The author, Aimee Tucker, notes that she doubled the recipe to have a bottom crust (noted in the photos). https://newengland.com/today/food/desserts/skillet-apple-pandowdy/
I can’t wait to make this Apple pan dowdy!! My dad always talked about it and how I wish he was still with us to have it! But I’m going to make it to his memory!! Thanks to Yankee for so
many wonderful things!!
There’s clearly some disconnect between the photo and recipe.