Easy Apple Slab Pie (Apple Pirog)

This isn’t a 15-layer cake. It’s the everyday pie my mom made whenever apples were in season. The dough comes together from things you already have in the fridge, and any apples work, even the sad-looking ones nobody wants to eat raw anymore. It’s not rich, but it’s pretty amazing in its simplicity. I hope you give it a try.

In Ukraine we call this a pirog – the everyday Slavic version of apple pie, baked flat and cut into squares. The crust is my Basic Pirog Dough. I also use it for my Plum Butter Pirog.

What Is Pirog Dough?

Pirog dough is a soft shortcrust made with sour cream. In Russian it’s called pesochnoe testo, “sandy dough,” for its tender, crumbly bite.

If you know French pastry, it’s closest to pâte sucrée: soft butter, sugar and egg yolks beaten together. But pirog dough also has sour cream, baking soda and baking powder, so it bakes up soft and slightly cakey instead of crisp. It’s nothing like flaky pâte brisée, and there’s no cold butter to cut in.

Polish bakers use a very similar dough for szarlotka. Every Slavic family has its own version, and this is my mom’s.

Ingredients for Apple Slab Pie

Amounts are in the recipe card.

Pirog Dough

• Egg yolks – Regular large egg yolks. Save the whites for the meringue topping below.
• Sugar – Regular granulated sugar.
• Butter – Unsalted butter, so you control the salt. Salted works too.
• Sour cream – Full-fat makes the most tender dough. Plain Greek yogurt works in a pinch.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract. Vanilla sugar works too.
• Baking soda, vinegar and baking powder – They make the dough light and soft. Lemon juice can stand in for the vinegar.
• Flour – Regular all-purpose flour. Fluff, scoop, level (1 cup = 150 g).

Apple Filling

• Apples – Any apples work, even sad-looking ones that are past their prime. The slices hold their shape as they bake. Plums, berries or other stone fruit work too; adjust the sugar and lemon to the fruit.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar. Use a little less if your apples are very sweet.
• Breadcrumbs – Plain dry breadcrumbs soak up the apple juices, so the bottom crust doesn’t get soggy. Fine semolina works too.
• Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice keeps the apples pale and brightens their flavor. Bottled works too.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract, or the seeds of half a vanilla bean.

Topping

• Egg – A beaten egg gives the lattice its golden shine. Milk works too, with less shine.
• Sugar – A sprinkle of granulated or coarse sugar for a sparkly, crisp top.

How to Make Apple Slab Pie

Make the Pirog Dough

This is my pirog dough – you’ll find the step-by-step photos there. Here’s the quick breakdown:

1. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and soft butter until smooth. A mixer with the whisk attachment speeds this up.
2. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla. Stir the baking soda into the vinegar and add it too, then the baking powder last.
3. Mix in most of the flour with a spoon, then with your hands. Add a little more at a time until the dough is soft and does not stick to your hands.
4. Cut off one third for the lattice. The dough is ready to use right away; chill it for 30 minutes if you want neater lattice strips.

Press In the Bottom Crust

Roll the larger piece out and lift it into a 9×13-inch pan, or simply press it in with your fingers. Bring it about 1 inch up the sides.

Slice the Apples

Peel and core the apples, then slice them about ⅛ inch thick and toss them with lemon juice right away. Thin slices bake soft in the same time it takes the crust to turn golden.

Fill the Crust

Toss the apples with the sugar, vanilla and breadcrumbs right before they go in, then spread them evenly over the dough. Leave any juice behind in the bowl.

Weave the Lattice Top

Roll the smaller piece into a 9×13-inch rectangle and cut it into ¾-inch strips with a pastry wheel or knife. Lay half the strips across the apples, weave the rest through them, then pinch the ends onto the bottom crust.

Egg Wash and Bake

Brush the lattice with beaten egg using a pastry brush, then sprinkle it with sugar. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a knife slides easily into the apples.

Cool and Slice

Let the pie cool in the pan for at least an hour. The juices thicken as it cools, so the squares hold together.

Marina’s Pro Tips for theBest Apple Slab Pie

1. Keep the bottom crust dry – toss the apples with breadcrumbs and sugar right before they go in, and leave any juice in the bowl.
2. Get the apples tender in time – slice them ⅛ inch thin so they soften before the crust browns.
3. Get clean lattice strips – chill the dough for 30 minutes so the strips lift without tearing.
4. Get neat squares – let it cool a full hour, since the filling sets as it cools.

Apple Slab Pie with a Meringue Top

The dough only uses the yolks, so you have three egg whites left. Turn them into a crisp meringue top – there are two ways to do it.

• Over the lattice – Whip the whites with sugar to stiff, glossy peaks. Skip the egg wash, spread the meringue over the lattice and bake the pie for the same time.
• No lattice – This is how we usually made it at home. Press all of the dough into a larger baking sheet, top it with the apples, and skip the lattice. Bake until the edges are golden, then spread the meringue on top and bake until it’s crisp, just like my Apple Rhubarb Meringue Pirog.

Amounts are in the recipe card.

How to Store Apple Slab Pie

Cover the pan and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More Recipes Made With This Pirog Dough

Here’s what else I make with this pirog dough:

• Plum Butter Pirog – tart plum butter baked between layers of the same tender dough.
• Apple Rhubarb Meringue Pirog – apples and rhubarb under a crisp, marshmallowy meringue top.
• Cherry Galette – a free-form cherry tart with whipped cream and toasted almonds.
• Plum Butter Cookies (Pesochnoe Pirozhnoe) – soft shortbread-style cookies with a plum butter center.

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Easy Apple Slab Pie (Apple Pirog)

5 from 1 vote

Apple slab pie made with my soft, buttery pirog crust, apples tossed with sugar, lemon and vanilla, and a golden lattice top. One 9x13 pan, 15 squares.

Author: Marina | Let the Baking Begin

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Ukrainian

Keyword: apple pirog, apple slab pie

Calories: 392 kcal

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 15 squares

Ingredients

Pirog Dough

• 2-3 large egg yolks (36-54 g), room temperature
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
• ¼ cup (58 g) sour cream
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• ½ tsp (3 g) baking soda
• ½ Tbsp (7 ml) white vinegar
• 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
• 2½-3 cups all-purpose flour (375-450 g) fluffed, gently scooped, leveled (1 cup = 150 g)

Apple Filling

• 3¾ lb (2 kg) apples about 10 medium, firm like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (54 g) plain dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

Topping

• 1 (50 g) large egg beaten
• 1 Tbsp (13 g) granulated sugar

Meringue Topping (optional)

• 3 (90 g) large egg whites left from the dough
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar

Equipment: The pans and tools I use are in my Amazon shop.

• Glass mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Stand mixer optional, with whisk attachment
• Kitchen scale
• Y peeler
• Apple corer
• 9x13-inch baking dish
• Rolling Pin
• Pastry wheel
• Pastry brush

Instructions

Make the Pirog Dough

1. Whisk the base: In a large bowl, whisk 2-3 large egg yolks, ¾ cup granulated sugar and 1 cup unsalted butter until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. A mixer with the whisk attachment speeds this up.

2. Add the rest of the wet ingredients: Whisk in ¼ cup sour cream and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Stir ½ tsp baking soda into ½ Tbsp white vinegar and add it too. Add 2 tsp baking powder last and whisk until smooth again.

3. Add the flour: Add 2½ cups of the 2½-3 cups all-purpose flour and mix with a spoon, then with your hands. Gently knead the dough to bring it together, adding the rest of the flour a little at a time until the dough is soft and does not stick to your hands.

4. Set aside the lattice dough: Cut off one third of the dough for the lattice. The dough is ready to use right away; chill it for 30 minutes if you want neater lattice strips.

Fill and Bake

1. Heat the oven: to 350°F with a rack in the middle.

2. Press in the bottom crust: Press the larger piece of dough evenly into a 9x13-inch pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup work well.

3. Slice the apples: Peel and core 3¾ lb apples, then slice them about ⅛ inch thick. Toss them with 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice right away so they stay pale.

4. Toss the filling: Right before filling the crust, toss the apples with 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and ½ cup plain dry breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs soak up the apple juices.

5. Fill the crust: Spread the apples evenly over the dough. Leave any juice behind in the bowl.

6. Make the lattice: Roll the smaller piece of dough with a rolling pin into a 9x13-inch rectangle on a floured surface and cut it into ¾-inch strips with a pastry wheel or knife. Weave the strips over the apples, then pinch the ends onto the bottom crust.

7. Brush and sprinkle: Brush the lattice with 1 large egg using a pastry brush, then sprinkle with 1 Tbsp granulated sugar.

8. Bake: for 45 to 55 minutes, until the lattice is deep golden and a knife slides easily into the apples.

9. Cool and slice: Let the pie cool in the pan for at least 1 hour so the filling sets, then cut it into 15 squares.

Optional Meringue Top

1. Optional meringue: Skip the egg wash and sugar. Whip 3 large egg whites with ¾ cup granulated sugar to stiff, glossy peaks. Spread the meringue over the lattice before the pie goes in, then bake as above.

Recipe Notes

The crust is my Basic Pirog Dough.

Other fruit: Plums, berries or other stone fruit work in place of the apples. Adjust the sugar and lemon to the fruit.

No lattice: Press all the dough into a larger baking sheet, top with the apples, and finish with the meringue (see post).

Storage: Keep covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Apple Slab Pie (Apple Pirog)

Amount Per Serving (1 square)

Calories 392 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 84mg28%

Sodium 141mg6%

Potassium 130mg4%

Carbohydrates 61g20%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 34g38%

Protein 5g10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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