True Autumn Pie with Apples and Pumpkin

I made this healthy low calorie pie based on J. Boban Pejić recipe for apple pie („Prirodno i slatko“/Natural and sweet/, Zagreb, 2009). Just FYI, Boban Pejić is a woman who brought macrobiotics to Croatians, and I consider her to be a Croatian healthy food diva (today, she and her husband own and run a healthy food store “bio&bio). Anyway, back to the pie. The crust dough is superb! It is so easy to make and so crunchy, without using any butter or eggs. I made the filling little bit special with some extra ingredient and spices and the result was great!

TRUE AUTUMN PIE WITH APPLES AND PUMPKIN

serves 4-6 (8-10 portions)

Ingredients:

For the crust

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup vegetable oil (*it would be even better to use coconut oil if you have)

1/2 cup natural apple juice

1/4 ts salt

Filling

4 large apples (use any sort you have available or you prefer)

2 cups chopped pumpkin (butternut, preferably)

3 TS honey

1 ts powdered cinnamon

1 ts finely chopped fresh ginger

zest of 1/2 orange

1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

some extra honey or maple syrup, cinnamon and sunflower seeds for serving

Instructions:

1. Wash and peel apples and pumpkin then chop them in little pieces or grind them. Add cinnamon, orange zest, ginger and honey and let stand while you are preparing crust.

2. Turn your oven to 375F.

3. Combine flours, salt and oil. While making dough, add apple juice. You might need less or more apple juice depending on flour. It should not be sticky.

4. Divide dough in two pieces. Flatten one piece on baking paper and put into the oven for 10 min. In the meanwhile, flatten the other piece as well and squeeze out juices from apples and pumpkin.

5. Take the dough out of the oven, then sprinkle sunflower seed over it and spread the apple-pumpkin filling. Cover with the second dough. Use fork to make holes in it so steam can go out while baking.

6. Bake around 30 minutes and few more minutes to get lovely brownish color.

Serve hot with some honey or maple syrup, cinnamon and sunflower seeds. You can take another piece, without feeling guilty 😉

p.s. the pie can stay covered in the fridge for two days, it is nice cold as well.