Classic Apple Pie

Nothing tastes better on a cold winter's day than a good pie--at least in my book. There is no need to buy ready-made pie crust for this pleasure--a perfect crust is no harder to make than most other basic recipes. I made this pie today, because my nieces and nephews were coming to visit, and they have become very avid fans of American Apple Pie. It also provided a chance to use up some of the last apples harvested during the fall from the tree in our backyard. It is a mystery variety that tastes like cardboard when eaten right from the tree, but which improves immensely in flavor after a couple of months in the cellar.

Here is the recipe for a 1.5 crust pie (see the picture). Fruit pies are normally made with a full top crust, but then you have to cut holes in the crust to allow steam to escape. Using a 1.5 crust pie cuts a few calories off, without making the pie any less yummy.

PIE DOUGH:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup fat*
pinch of salt
1/4 water

(*for the fat I use a 1/4 cup lard, 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening, but 1/4 cup each of butter and vegetable shortening also works fine if you are not into pig fat)

Sprinkle the salt over the flour and then cut the shortening into the flour using a pastry blender until clumps of about a eigth of an inch remain. You get better results if the fat is cold--straight from the fridge. Then mix in the water and form into a ball.

Spread a wooden board with a heavy dusting of flour and roll out the dough until it is about 13 inches in diameter. Use the roling pint to transfer the dough into a 9" pie plate. Cut the dough so that it extends over the edge of the pie plate by about 3/4 of an inch, saving the excess. Tuck the part of the dough that extends over the edge in, so that the seam is hidden between the pie plate and the crust. Then flute the edge of the crust with your fingers.

Form a ball with the excess dough, flour the board again and roll it out again . Using a saucer or bowl of about 6.5 inches or so as a pattern, cut out a smooth circle of dough. Set aside until you have finished making the filling.

FILLING:

5 cups of thinly sliced apples (See below for which kinds are best)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons of flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of butter cut into small pieces

Sprinkle the lemon juice over the apples. Then mix the flour, salt and spices together and mix with the apples. Turn the mixture into the dough-lined pie plate. Arrange the apples slices so that the outside edge has a daisy-like appearance (see the picture). Add the butter to the center of the pie, then place the remaining circle of crust on top in the center. Sprinkle a little sugar over the top crust. It helps to place some aluminum foil (or a pie ring) around the edges of the pie to keep them from getting too dark. Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden.

A DISSERTATION ON APPLE VARIETIES FOR PIE: A general rule of thumb is that a good tart apple makes a good pie. Good varieties for pies are Cortlands, Empires, Granny Smiths, Jonathans, Spys and Winesaps. Golden Delicious and Galas are also suitable for pies, but they are relatively sweet, so are best when mixed with tarter varieties. Red Delicious, McIntoshes and Fujis are not as good for pies, because they either tend to become mushy when baked or are not tart enough, though in a pinch they make a better pie than no pie at all.