This is derived from a recipe in the Palm Restaurant Cookbook. Their recipe calls for cranberries; we've made it with raspberries, blackberries, pineapple, raisins, any combination that you like. A somewhat tart or tangy fruit is a nice complement with the apples. Try it with different types of apples; you can also skip the pie shell and make it in a buttered 9x9 baking dish as a crust-less crumble.
Topping:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup halved pecans, finely chopped
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon best-quality vanilla extract
Fruit:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thickly sliced
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thickly sliced
2 cups fresh or frozen berries (cranberries, blackberries, or try pineapple, etc)
2/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unslated butter, cut into 1/4-inch dice
10-inch unbaked pie shell
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the topping, and toss together until evenly blended.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In another large bowl, combine the ingredients for the Fruit. Toss together until thoroughly blended.
Spoon the fruit mixture into the pie shell, pressing slightly to make sure it all fits securely (it will be quite tall). Scatter the topping evenly over the top of the pie, pressing it gently into any gaps in the fruit layer to help it adhere. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for about 45 minutes, until the fruit is tender and the topping is golden brown. Keep an eye on the pie as it's baking; if the topping seems to be browning too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes, and serve warm, cut into wedges, accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.
