Serbian Apple Peta

I'm putting this up on food.com so I can make it at some point. My mother (who was Slovenian) never made this, although my friend Margie's mother (who was Croatian) told me this is a popular dessert all over the Balkans due to the abundance of apple trees. This is not exactly Margie's ma's recipe, but I think it's close. It's pita or peta, but it's not bread, it's more of an apple pie. This version is adapted from the Dexter Cider Mill Apple Cookbook.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12

Ingredients

• PASTRY DOUGH

• 1  cup butter, softened
• 2 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 3  egg yolks
• 3  tablespoons sour cream

• FILLING

• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 12  cups  sliced apples, about 4 pounds (Braeburn or Golden Delicious recommended)
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Prepare the pastry by combining the flour and butter in a bowl; mix using your fingers. Add the 3 tablespoons of sugar, egg yolks, and sour cream and mix to form a stiff dough. Divide into 2 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 portion to fit a 9x13 pan. Roll out other portion for top.
2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the filling by mixing the apples, 3/ cups of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and toss lightly to coat.
3. Spoon filling into the pastry lined pan, top with remaining pastry, and seal and flute edges. Prick top crust with a fork and sprinkle with walnuts.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Cool. Cut into squares.