Categories: Desserts
Ingredients
- Double Crust:
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 6-8 Tbsp ice water
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, if desired
- 1 Tbsp sugar, if desired
- Apple Pie Filling:
- double pie crust (recipe above)
- 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly ground or grated preferable)
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 1/2 lbs-3 lbs. granny smith apples (about 6)
- 3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 1 Tbsp half and half
- 1 Tbsp sugar
Directions
-
In a mixing bowl stir together flour and salt (and cinnamon and sugar, if desired). Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter till pieces are the size of small peas.
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Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of the ice water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push to side of bowl. Repeat till all is just moistened and will hold together (you may not need to use all 8 Tbsp., but you don’t want sticky dough). Form into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Form the smaller ball into a flattened disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge (or freezer, if you’re needing it colder faster).
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Make a base for rolling out the large dough ball with plastic wrap. I usually make mine about 18" square (takes a couple of pieces). Lay larger ball of dough down on plastic wrap and flatten to a round disc. Top with another 18" square of plastic wrap and begin rolling out the dough to a 12" round. You’ll have to flip the dough as you roll it out larger and reposition the plastic wrap. When dough is the right size, remove top layer of plastic wrap and drape dough, plastic side down, over your rolling pin or forearm. Lay pie dough into pie plate and gently remove remaining plastic wrap. Trim to 1’2" of edge, leaving an overhang. Chill the pie shell while making the filling.
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Once filled, roll out the small dough ball as you did the large one, draping it atop the filling. Trim the top crust, leaving a 1" overhang, fold the overhang under the bottom crust, pressing the edge to seal it, and crimp the edge decoratively with the tines of a fork or scallop the edges using your fingers.
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In a large bowl, stir together 3/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and lemon zest. Peel, quarter and core apples, slice them thin crosswise and add them to the sugar mixture, tossing them to coat them well. Mound the apple mixture in the pie shell and dot with the bits of butter.
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Cover with top pastry layer and seal with fork or make scalloped edge. Make slits in the top crust, forming steam vents, brush the crust with the half and half and sprinkle it with the 1 Tbsp. sugar. (I like to place a pizza tin or cookie sheet under the pie plate for baking as sometimes the filling juices can bubble out). Preheat oven to 425 and bake in lower third of oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375 and bake pie for 40-45 minutes more, or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden. Transfer the pie to a rack and let it cool. Serve the pie warm or at room temperature.