INGREDIENTS
- 6 Granny Smith apples large
- 3/4 C. granulated sugar
- 2 egg whites large
- 1/2 C. powdered sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS
Apple Pureé
- Preheat oven to 350˚F/177˚C.
- Wash the apples and place them in a 9"x12" baking pan. Add 1 1/2 cups of water.
- Bake for 1 hour or until the apples are saggy and soft when pierced with a knife. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Press the cooked apples through a strainer to remove the skins and cores.
Batter
- Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites and apple pureé.
- Turn the mixture on medium-high speed and slowly add the sugar.
- Continuing beating on medium-high speed for 10 minutes. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Preheat oven to 180˚F.
- Line a rimmed baking pan (a half-sheet or 2, quarter-sheets) with parchment including the sides.
- Reserve 2 cups of batter for gluing the layers.
- Spread the remaining batter into the lined pan(s) and smooth into an even layer.
- Bake at 180˚F/82˚C for 4-7 hours or until the dry to the touch.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 180˚F/82˚C.
- When the pastila is completely cool, gently peel the parchment paper away. If the pastry sticks to the paper use a spatula to gently scrape it off.
- If using quarter-sheet pans cut each layer half for a total of 4 rectangles.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and place one layer of pastila.
- Scoop a couple of teaspoons of the reserved batter and with an off-set spatula spread it out evenly. Add another layer of pastila. Repeat for the remaining layers.
- Coat the sides and top of the layered pastilla with any remaining batter.
- Bake at 180˚F/82˚C for an hour and a half.
- Cool completely.
- Using a dampened knife and a sawing motion, slice the pastila into 1" wide slices.
- Gently roll the pastila slices in powdered sugar. Serve with a cup of tea.
- Store in an airtight container for a couple of days.