Brown Butter Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust

With the arrival of fall weather comes apple pie season, although I'll have to admit that I baked this pie in the middle of summer (though in the Bay Area, you might not be able to tell the difference!).  Since I love the combination of sweet and savory, I went with an apple pie with cheddar crust.  The cheese adds the perfect salty counterpart to the sweet apple filling.  I'm not crazy about cinnamon and cheese as a flavor pairing though, so I was really happy to find this recipe that flavors the apples with browned butter.  The browned butter gives the apples a rich autumn flavor without the addition of spices.

Brown Butter Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust (adapted from food52, original recipe here)

For the filling:
3 pounds apples, peeled and cut into chunks
1/3 cup white sugar
3 T brown sugar
4 T unsalted butter
2 T cornstarch
2 T water

For the crust:
2-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt 
14 T cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Heaping 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Ice water
1 egg, beaten with 1 T water, for egg wash

1. Toss together the apples, white sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl.  Set aside until ready to use (at least one hour).
2. Whisk together the flours and salt.  Cut in the butter, and then whisk in the cheese. 
3. Sprinkle about 6 T ice water onto the flour mixture.  Gently combine with your hands, adding more water a bit at a time as needed, until the dough starts to form together.
4. Divide the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes.
5. Roll out one disk between two sheets of wax paper.  Gently fit into pie dish, trimming the edges so they are flush with the dish.  Chill for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
7. Poke the dough all over with a fork.  Line with foil and add pie weights.  Bake 10 minutes.  Remove the weights and foil, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the bottom starts to look dry.  Allow to cool, and turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
8. Meanwhile, make the filling. Melt the 4 T butter in a saucepan, and swirl until the foam subsides and then butter turns a nut-brown color, being careful not to burn.  Toss with the apples.
9. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 T water and toss with the apples.
10. Roll out the second disk of dough.
11. Fill the bottom pie crust with the apples.  Brush the edges with egg wash, and then top with the second pie crust.  Crimp with a fork to seal.  Cut slits in the top to vent.  Brush the top with egg wash.
12. Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until the filling is bubbly.

I'm sending this pie off to These Chicks Cooked.