Cranberry Sage Slab Pie

Think outside the pie dish with this fun recipe for a slab pie. Made in a sheet pan, slab pies are not as deep as regular pies so they cook faster, and work best with fruit and jam fillings. They also easily serve a crowd, just cut the pie into squares and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Softened unsalted butter

4 prepared pie crusts

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen, divided

1 small apple, grated

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Zest and juice of one orange

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, lightly beaten

For the egg wash:

1 egg, lightly beaten, with 2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a small sheet pan with softened butter.

On a lightly floured surface, place two pie crusts on top of each other, and roll out to a 30cm x 38cm rectangle. Repeat with remaining two pie crusts. Place one rectangle into the sheet pan, with excess overlapping. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the second rectangle into long 1 inch strips of lattice. Refrigerate both sheet pan and lattice while preparing the filling.

Place sage, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cornstarch and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until well combined, and then pour mixture into a large mixing bowl. In the same food processor, process 2 cups of the cranberries until finely chopped. Add chopped cranberries and remaining whole cranberries to the same bowl with the sugar mixture. Add the apple, baking soda, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla, and egg to the bowl and mix well to combine.

Pour the filling into the refrigerated pie crust in the sheet pan. Lay the strips of pie crust over the top of the filling, weaving in an over/under pattern, until all lattice is used and pie is covered. Crimp the edges of the overhanging bottom crust together with the lattice, and roll inward to create a decorative edge inside the pan. Press down the crimping from the top down, sealing the crimp to the pan edge, so it does not fall in while baking.

Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash, taking care not to drag any filling onto the crust. Place in preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.