Apples au Naturel

DEAR SOS: I am not an apple pie lover at all, but one weekend in Big Sur, I had the most incredible natural apple pie at Cafe Kevah in the Nepenthe Hotel. Please see if you can get the recipe. You have a treat in store for you.

--DEBBIE

DEAR DEBBIE: According to Nepenthe’s Tom Birmingham, the pie has been the restaurant’s most popular dessert since it was introduced at Cafe Kevah 10 years ago.

NEPENTHE’S HOME-BAKED APPLE PIE

PIE DOUGH

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

NUT CRUMB TOPPING

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

PIE

9 cups peeled, sliced Granny Smith apples

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

PIE DOUGH

Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until mealy or particles are size of peas. Bring dough together and add just enough cream to form ball, handling as little as possible. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

NUT CRUMB TOPPING

Combine walnuts, flour, oats and brown sugar and cut in butter until mealy or particles are size of peas.

PIE

Mix together apples and brown sugar. Wait 10 minutes, then stir in flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Roll out chilled Pie Dough to 12-inch circle and place in 10-inch pie pan. Add filling and sprinkle with Nut Crumb Topping. Bake at 325 degrees until filling bubbles through topping, about 45 minutes.

8 servings. Each serving:

514 calories; 49 mg sodium; 59 mg cholesterol; 27 grams fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1.25 grams fiber.

Potato Casserole by the Can DEAR SOS: I need a recipe for potato casserole. Can you help?

--DOROTHY

DEAR DOROTHY: The recipe was popular in the late ‘70s when canned chicken soup dishes were the rage.

POTATO CASSEROLE

6 potatoes

3/4 cup butter

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup

3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cornflakes, crumbled

Cook potatoes with skins on. Remove skins and thinly slice potatoes into buttered 2 1/2-quart casserole.

Mix together 1/2 cup butter, soup, cheese, green onions and sour cream in saucepan. Stir over low heat just until heated through and pour over potatoes.

Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in small skillet or saucepan and add cornflake crumbs. Mix well. Sprinkle crumb mixture over potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly, 30 to 45 minutes.

10 servings. Each serving:

311 calories; 508 mg sodium; 59 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.41 gram fiber.