Apple Pie

Thom Hackett
Servings: 8

Easy, easy, easy to prepare.

Ingredients

Pie Filling:

4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, and cored

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 orange

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

½ cup sugar, plus 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on top

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon ground allspice

Perfect Pie Crust, recipe follows

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Pie Crust:

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) very cold unsalted butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

⅓ cup very cold vegetable shortening

6 to 8 tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water

Cooking Method

Preheat oven to 400° F.

TO FILL PIE: 

• Cut each apple quarter in thirds crosswise and combine in a bowl with the zests, juices, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

• Roll out half the pie dough and drape it over a 9- or 10-inch pie pan to extend about 1/2-inch over the rim. Don't stretch the dough; if it's too small, just put it back on the board and re-roll it.

• Fill the pie with the apple mixture.

• Brush the edge of the bottom pie crust with the egg wash so the top crust will adhere.

• Top with the second crust and trim the edges to about 1-inch over the rim.

• Tuck the edge of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp the 2 together with your fingers or a fork.

• Brush the entire top crust with the egg wash, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar, and cut 4 or 5 slits.

• Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours, or until the crust is browned and the juices begin to bubble out.

• Serve warm.

TO MAKE CRUST:

• Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.

  • Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix.

  • Add the butter and shortening.

  • Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas.

  • With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. 

  • Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. 

  • Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• Cut the dough in half.

  • Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board.

  • Fold the dough in half, place in a pie pan, and unfold to fit the pan.

  • Repeat with the top crust.