Wine Country Recipe ~ Ponte Winery’s Beverino Infused Apple Pot Pie

These Beverino Infused Apple Pot Pies look amazing! Beverino actually means “easy to drink” in Italian. The wine’s subtle sweetness comes from a careful blend of several varieties (Ponte Winery’s best kept secret), all grown right here in Temecula.  We can’t think of a better way to enjoy a glass of it by pairing it with this scrumptious looking dessert.

Yield: 6 medium individual baking dishes

Apple Pot Pie Filling

Beverino, Cranberry & Currant Poaching Liquid Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups Ponte Beverino
⅓ cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
¾ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup dried currants
Zest of one orange

Method:

1. Put wine and sugar in small saucepan with cinnamon sticks.
2. Add the cranberries, currants, and orange zest.
3. Cook on medium-low heat until poaching liquid is reduced by ⅓.
4. Take off heat and set aside to cool.

Apple Filling Ingredients:

6 large granny smith apples, chopped into ½ inch cubes
⅓ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Put the cubed apple in a large bowl. Stir the wine poached dried fruit, cinnamon sticks, sugar, flour and cinnamon into the cubed apples and stir with rubber spatula.
2. Refrigerate overnight to allow apples to soak up the poaching wine flavor.

Puff Pastry Rounds

Method:

1. Purchase puff pastry from freezer section of grocery store. Thaw the puff pastry. If the pastry won’t unfold, let thaw a little more. Remove one sheet and place on cutting board.
2. Using your baking dish as a stencil, turn it upside down and set onto puff pastry in upper left corner. Run a sharp knife blade around the outside of the dish to create the top. Repeat. Use second puff pastry sheet if needed.
3. Place the pot pie tops onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Take a small cookie cutter and cut a second hole in the center of the puff pastry. Place another piece of parchment on top of the puff tops. Place another cookie sheet on top of the parchment. This will stop the puff pastry from rising too high and ensure even and level finished tops.
4. Bake in oven at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove top cookie sheet and top baking parchment. Egg-wash the puff pastry tops and sprinkle generously with raw sugar.
5. Return the puff pastry tops to the oven and bake for 5-8 more minutes until golden brown. Store in airtight container until ready to assemble.

Assembling the Apple Pot Pie:

1. Remove cinnamon sticks and fill the baking dishes to the top with Beverino apple filling.
2. Take the left over juice from the filling and divide it evenly among the baking dishes.
3. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes until apple mix is bubbly and apples are tender. Leave foil on top of dishes and let rest until warm to the touch. Clean outside of baking dishes where juices have boiled over.
4. Place one pre-baked puff pastry top on top of the baked apples. Place one scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of the puff pastry in the center hole. Finely grate fresh nutmeg onto ice cream and garnish with one dried apple chip. Serve warm.

Dried Apple Chip Slices:

1. Slice one unpeeled, whole granny smith apple on thin setting of mandolin cutter, or carefully slice apple into even thin slices. Dip lightly into simple syrup (which is mixture of ½ cup water and ½ cup of sugar brought to a boil and cooled).
2. Place sweetened apple slices onto sprayed parchment or silicon mat. Bake at 225° until crispy. Test by peeling one apple slice from parchment or mat and place on counter top until cold. Taste for crispness. Return to oven until desired crispness. Finished crispy apple slices should be slightly golden brown

Recipe and photo courtesy of Ponte Winery