Now don’t get all nervous just because everyone and their mother is coming to your house tomorrow to eat. The first thing to remember is, if you are stressed, this is no time to reinvent the wheel. You can bend it though. Instead of the classic two crusted apple pie, make one with a no need to roll it out crust on the bottom, and a lovely little cap of thinly sliced apples for a top.
Use 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of cold, diced butter, 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of salt for the pastry. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until you don’t see anymore big hunks of butter. It doesn’t have to be completely even. Press into a 9 or 10 inch pan with a removable bottom, that has been covered with a layer of parchment. Bake at 400 degress until just golden.
For the filling, peel and halve nine apples. Remove the core. Toss them sugar to coat. In a heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add half the apples and caramelize without disturbing, first on one side, then the other. Repeat with the remaining apples. Reserve two halves. Arrange the rest on a foil lined sheet pan and bake at 350 until soft. Smash with a fork. Cover the crust with the apples. Cut the reserved apples into thin slices and arrange in a concentric circle ontop of the other apples. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees until the edges of the sliced apples are caramelized. Serve with slightly whipped cream.