Plăcintă cu mere (Romanian Apple Pie)

Plăcintă cu mere is a familiar Romanian home dessert: grated apples are tucked between two pastry sheets, baked in a shallow tray and cut into squares once cool. The name literally means apple pie, but the result is distinct from a tall American lattice pie or a rolled strudel. Romanian versions vary from thin stretched dough to tender short pastry. This recipe follows the latter home-baking style, with a lightly leavened dough that is easy to roll and a filling cooked just long enough to reduce excess juice.

The apple filling begins with firm fruit grated on the large holes of a box grater. Grating creates short, soft strands that settle evenly between the pastry and bake into a cohesive layer. A mix of tart and sweet apples gives a balanced flavor; if only sweet apples are available, reduce the sugar slightly. Cooking the grated fruit in a wide pan releases and evaporates some juice before the pie goes into the oven. This step helps keep the lower sheet tender rather than wet, while leaving enough moisture for a soft filling.

Cinnamon is the familiar companion, but it should support the apples instead of covering them. A little lemon zest brightens the cooked fruit, and fine breadcrumbs catch the small amount of juice that remains after cooling. The filling must be fully cool before it touches the pastry. Warm filling softens the butter in the dough, which can make the bottom layer greasy and harder to bake evenly. Spreading the filling on a plate speeds cooling and makes it easier to check that it is no longer steaming.

The pastry uses cold butter rubbed into flour with a modest amount of sugar, baking powder, egg and sour cream. The butter creates tenderness, while sour cream brings the dough together without requiring much liquid. Work quickly and stop mixing as soon as the dough holds together; prolonged kneading develops gluten and can make the baked sheets tough. A short chill firms the butter and relaxes the dough, so it rolls with fewer cracks. If a small edge splits, press it together with your fingers rather than adding a lot of flour.

Divide the dough into two equal portions and roll each into a rectangle that fits a 30 × 20 cm tray. The bottom sheet should reach the corners without being stretched thin. Spread the filling in an even layer and leave a narrow margin around the edge. The top sheet can be patched where needed; press the pastry edges together gently so the filling stays inside. Pricking the top with a fork gives steam a way out and reduces the chance of a large air pocket lifting the crust.

Bake the pie in a fully heated oven until the top is evenly golden and the pastry at the sides looks dry. The exact time depends on the tray material and how much moisture the apples released, so use the stated range with those visual cues. If the top colors early, lay foil loosely over it while the edges finish baking. The pie is fragile when hot: the filling has not settled, and a fresh cut may cause the layers to slide. Cooling in the tray gives the apples time to firm and makes neat squares easier to lift.

Plăcintă cu mere is often finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar after it has cooled. Serve the squares at room temperature with coffee or tea, or add a spoonful of plain yogurt for a less sweet accompaniment. The recipe is deliberately restrained: no heavy glaze, thick custard or decorative lattice is needed for the contrast between tender pastry and fragrant apple filling to come through. Chopped walnuts can be added for crunch, though they are optional and not required for the basic form.

Because the dough contains egg and sour cream, handle it as a perishable raw mixture and wash hands and surfaces after shaping. Do not taste the unbaked dough or filling once it has contacted raw dough. Let the baked pie cool, then refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within two hours; keep them at or below 4 °C (40 °F) and use within three to four days. Bring a portion briefly to room temperature or warm it gently if you prefer a softer pastry. The pie can also be frozen in well-wrapped squares for about two months, though thawed pastry will be less crisp.