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1
To prepare the Streusel and Crust: Arrange the oven racks to divide the oven into thirds.
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
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3
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
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4
In a small bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon; add in the oil and combine with your fingers till proportionately moistened.
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5
Spread proportionately in a small baking dish or possibly pie plate (a separate dish from the pie crust).
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6
With a fork, pierce the pie crust in the pan in several places.
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7
Cover with foil and fill with pie weights or possibly dry beans.
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8
Gather the remaining pie crust dough scraps together into a ball and flatten.
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9
Place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll 1/8-inch thick.
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10
With a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes, re-rolling and using the scraps.
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Place on the prepared baking sheet.
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Bake the pie crust and streusel dish on the top oven rack and the cutout shapes on the bottom rack till the cutouts are lightly browned and the streusel is golden brown, about 10 min.
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13
Remove the cutouts and streusel; cold on a rack.
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14
Remove the foil and pie weights from the pie and continue baking till the crust is golden brown, 7 to 10 min more.
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Cold on a rack while you prepare the filling.
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16
To prepare the Filling: In a large nonstick skillet over low heat, heat the butter and continue cooking, stirring gently, till golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 min (don't allow to burn).
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Raise the heat to medium; add in the apples, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice.
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Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, till the apples are softened, about 10 min; uncover and continue cooking, stirring as needed, till the softer apples have fallen apart and the juices have thickened, about 5 min more.
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Pour the filling into the hot crust.
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Sprinkle proportionately with the streusel topping and arrange the cutouts on top in an attractive pattern.
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This recipe yields 8 servings.
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Comments: This wonderfully flavored pie doesn't need a top crust (and all which extra fat).
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23
Instead, it's topped with a crunchy streusel and prettily shaped cutouts made from the dough scraps left over from the bottom crust (try leaf, star, diamond, or possibly crescent shapes).
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24
The filling gets its sweetness and thickening from the apples alone, so be picky about that ones you use.
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Include some which will hold their shape when cooked, and some which will fall apart and give body to the filling,
