The crust recipe comes from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, but the filling is my own. (Well, really, apple pie is just apples, spices and sugar, so not much of a recipe is needed.) I also cheat madly and buy a pre-made crust for the bottom. I can't ever manage to roll both top and bottom crusts without a breakdown (of both crust and me.)
Apple Pie Filling
Apples (about 6 large, peeled, cored and sliced about 1/4" thick. I like to use a mixture of hard apples -- think Granny Smith, Cortland, Rome, Jonagold -- and soft -- think McIntosh, Gala, Fuji.)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 TBS. all-purpose flour
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cardamom
1/8 tsp. allspice
3 TBS crystallized ginger, chopped (optional)
1 egg white
1 TBS sugar
1. Preheat oven to 425* degrees. Peel, core and slice apples. Toss with sugar, flour, lemon juice, salt, spices and ginger (if using).
2. Mound apples in unbaked pie crust. Lay top crust over apples and crimp the edges. Cut several vent holes in top crust. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 1 TBS of white sugar.
3. Bake for 25 minutes, until top crust is golden. Reduce heat to 375* and bake an additional 30 minutes or so (until crust is a deep golden brown.)
Pie Crust
(from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)
1 purchased pie crust in pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp. salt
8 TBS vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
12 TBS unsalted butter
6 - 8 TBS ice water
1. Throw all ingredients, EXCEPT WATER, in the food processor. Pulse it on and off until mixure resembles big crumbs, then gingerly pour just enough ice water in to bind the crumbs together and make a big doughy ball.
2. Split ball in two. Flatten each ball into a disk and wrap both in Saran Wrap. Put both disks in the freezer -- one for 15 minutes and one to freeze solid, ready for your next pie.
3. After 15 minutes, remove 1 dough disk and start the rolling process. I have the most awful time with this -- I've not yet mastered the art of rolling out an even, smooth, perfectly round pie crust. And this crust, with all the shortening and butter in it, is very delicate. SO, I cheat by sprinkling a bit of flour on a large sheet of wax paper and placing the dough disk on that. Another sprinkle of flour and then I put another piece of wax paper on top of the dough. I use my rolling pin ON TOP of the wax paper so that a circle of dough is rolled out between the two sheets of wax paper. It's fairly easy to peel off the wax paper and much easier to transfer the round of dough backed by one sheet of wax paper onto the mound of apples. Peel off the second piece of wax paper, crimp the edges and poke some vent holes into the top crust. Then follow the baking instructions above. I'd recommend baking this pie on top of a rimmed cookie sheet because it is very juicy. Unless, of course, you enjoy cleaning burnt sugar off your oven floor.
Apple Pie Filling
Apples (about 6 large, peeled, cored and sliced about 1/4" thick. I like to use a mixture of hard apples -- think Granny Smith, Cortland, Rome, Jonagold -- and soft -- think McIntosh, Gala, Fuji.)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 TBS. all-purpose flour
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cardamom
1/8 tsp. allspice
3 TBS crystallized ginger, chopped (optional)
1 egg white
1 TBS sugar
1. Preheat oven to 425* degrees. Peel, core and slice apples. Toss with sugar, flour, lemon juice, salt, spices and ginger (if using).
2. Mound apples in unbaked pie crust. Lay top crust over apples and crimp the edges. Cut several vent holes in top crust. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 1 TBS of white sugar.
3. Bake for 25 minutes, until top crust is golden. Reduce heat to 375* and bake an additional 30 minutes or so (until crust is a deep golden brown.)
Pie Crust
(from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)
1 purchased pie crust in pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp. salt
8 TBS vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
12 TBS unsalted butter
6 - 8 TBS ice water
1. Throw all ingredients, EXCEPT WATER, in the food processor. Pulse it on and off until mixure resembles big crumbs, then gingerly pour just enough ice water in to bind the crumbs together and make a big doughy ball.
2. Split ball in two. Flatten each ball into a disk and wrap both in Saran Wrap. Put both disks in the freezer -- one for 15 minutes and one to freeze solid, ready for your next pie.
3. After 15 minutes, remove 1 dough disk and start the rolling process. I have the most awful time with this -- I've not yet mastered the art of rolling out an even, smooth, perfectly round pie crust. And this crust, with all the shortening and butter in it, is very delicate. SO, I cheat by sprinkling a bit of flour on a large sheet of wax paper and placing the dough disk on that. Another sprinkle of flour and then I put another piece of wax paper on top of the dough. I use my rolling pin ON TOP of the wax paper so that a circle of dough is rolled out between the two sheets of wax paper. It's fairly easy to peel off the wax paper and much easier to transfer the round of dough backed by one sheet of wax paper onto the mound of apples. Peel off the second piece of wax paper, crimp the edges and poke some vent holes into the top crust. Then follow the baking instructions above. I'd recommend baking this pie on top of a rimmed cookie sheet because it is very juicy. Unless, of course, you enjoy cleaning burnt sugar off your oven floor.
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