Apple and Sausage Pie

Sometimes the foods I make are dictated by what I have a craving for. But sometimes I choose a particular recipe because I want to use a new toy in my kitchen. That was the case here. I bought a deep dish pie plate from Pampered Chef and it was so pretty that I wanted to use it right away. I had made this pie recipe years ago, and remembered wishing at the time that I had a deeper pie plate, so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to try the recipe again. 

It was every bit as good as I remembered. The buttery richness of the pie crust, the heartiness of the sausage, the texture of the ever-so-slightly still-crisp apples, and the three cheese mixture on top all combined for a perfect comfort food on a chilly night.

Sausage and Apple Pie
Recipe from Simply Recipes

1 unbaked pie crust (I used a refrigerated Pillsbury crust, but feel free to make your own)
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped (about half a cup)
1 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp butter
3/4 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups shredded asiago cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place your pie crust dough into a pie plate, smoothing the bottom and sides and crimping the edges, if desired. Line the pie plate with aluminum foil, pressing the dough against the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove the foil and poke the entire bottom of the pie crust with a fork to create air vents. Return crust to oven, bake for an additional 4 minutes, or until the crust just begins to brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. 

Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the apples, onions, and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes. In the last 30 seconds or so, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Transfer mixture to a separate bowl. Increase the heat to medium high and in the same skillet add the Italian sausage. Break up the sausage links and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned on all sides and is cooked through. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat.

In medium sized bowl, mix together the cheeses and beaten eggs.

Place sausage on bottom of pre-baked pie crust. Add the cooked apple and onion mixture over the sausage. Add the egg and cheese mixture on top of the apple mixture and spread it to evenly cover the pie.

Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.