Recipe makes one very delicious pie!
PIE CRUST:
9 T of real butter (1 stick has 8 T). Also, it’s OK. to use 1/2 butter and half lard (e.g. Crisco) if you want the crust flakier). 1 1/2 Cups of flour (Use pre-sifted) 1 t salt (To be sifted in with the flour) 4 T of ice water.
Step 1: Sift flour and salt into a food processor with the S-shaped cutting blade installed. [If you don’t have a food processor, see footnotes (*) for replacement method for steps 1-3 below].
Step 2: Cut butter into tablespoon size (approx. 1/4 ” slices of a butter stick) and add on top of flour in processor.
Step 3: Flick (Pulse) processor on-switch for 8-10 times. Add 1/3 cup of the ice water. Pulse 8-10 times more. Add another 1/3 of cup of ice water. Continue to add ice water until mixture become granulated in appearance. When it begins to climb the side of the processor and appear as larger clumps, stop mixing.
Step 4: Remove from processor and wrap in Saran plastic wrap. Let it stay in the refrigerator for about 1/2 to one hour. if you are in a hurry, put it in the freezer for 15 mins.
Step 5: Remove from refrigerator and unwrap. Cut it in half. Knead it a little. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on the rolling surface. I like to put a large piece of wax paper on the “rolling surface.” It will be used to flip the crust over for easy placement in the pie pan. Shape like a large hamburger patty being careful to keep the edges from cracking. Flour the rolling pin and using one-directional rolling (i.e. not forward and then backwards). Roll it towards the one o’clock position, then to the four o’clock position, then to the ten o’clock position, etc. until it’s about 10- 12″ round. Continue the rolling process until the thickness is about 1/4″. Remember to frequently clean off the small clumps of flour that stick to the rolling pin with a sliding motion of your thumb and index finger in a scraping action. TIP: If it sticks to the rolling surface, try using a metal spatula to free it. If you’re lucky, you should be able to actually pick up the pastry disc and lay it on the pie plate, but it’s easier to just hold the two edges of the wax paper and flip it over and into the pie pan. Use your fingers to form it to the contour of the pan, then pull away the wax paper. Sometimes I roll it without removing the wax paper and then unroll it over onto the pie pan. Use a sharp knife held perpendicular to the edge of the pie plate rim, and with a downward slashing motion to cut off the extra dough that will be hanging over the edge of the pie pan.
Top dough is done the same way, but will need to be larger in diameter to allow for the high mounding of the generous filling. Don’t worry, it will shrink when it cooks.
*Footnotes:
- Step 1: Sift flour with salt into a flat bottom bowl
- Step 2: Cut the butter into 1/4″ pieces on top of flour.
- Step 3: Cut in the ice water with a knife and try to obtain the texture described above before refrigerating
FILLING:
1/2 Cup of regular sugar spread evenly in the bottom of the pie shell. Add 20 medium-size Macintosh apples peeled and sliced into 1/4″ thick pieces. Pack the apple slices tightly and dome them up about 2-3″ above the rim pie plate. Place 3/4 cup of regular sugar over the top of the apple slices. Add 1/4 cup of soft brown sugar. Sprinkle filling with 1 t of cinnamon and 1/8 t of allspice. Add 1/8 t of fresh ground nutmeg. Add 8-10 drops of real lemon juice. Sprinkle with 2-3 t of flour to retard juice loss while baking. Sprinkle with 1/4 t of salt. Place 4-5 pieces of real butter on top of filling. Place top crust over filling and shape for a snug molded fit. Pinch edges to form to pie plate to seal it. Cut off any extra overhanging edge crust. Some people wrap the edge with “pie tape.”Use sharp knife to cut four 1″ air slits 1/2 way to top of pie (at the 1, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions). Cut a small “X” on the top as a venting chimney. Brush top crust with milk or half and half cream to produce a nice “browning.”
BAKING:
Place pie pan on cookie sheet (they drip while cooking) and place in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 10 mins. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for 40-45 mins. Pies can be made and frozen until they are ready to bake. Wrap with foil. Defrost to room temperature before baking. Serve with your best French Vanilla ice cream. Pie will stay edible in the refrigerator for about two week. Reheat slices in microwave as desired.
