Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

By marilou-2

To qualify as a great apple pie, the mixture of apples should create a combined sweet-tart flavor balance. Serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream or with a wedge of cheddar cheese. From the book "Mad Hungry," by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books).

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 8 apples (4 tart, 4 sweet)
• 1 Basic Pie Dough
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Position the racks in the center of the oven and in the lower third.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice into a large bowl. Peel, quarter, core, and thinly slice one apple at a time. Toss the slices in the lemon juice to prevent browning. Repeat with each apple.
3. On a well-floured surface, roll out one piece of dough to about 12 inches in diameter and lay it in the bottom of a standard 10-inch pie plate. Trim the edges of the dough flush with the edge of the pie plate's rim.
4. Add the 1/4 cup sugar, the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to the apples and toss to coat. Pile the apples into the dough-lined pie plate. Dot with butter.
5. Roll out the top crust to a diameter of 12 inches. Lay it over the apples. Trim the edge of the top crust so it hangs over the bottom crust by at least 3/4 inch. Tuck the top crust under the bottom and roll it under all around. Pinch it together to close. Crimp the edges with fingers or press with a fork. Chill the pie for a few minutes.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and milk. Cut a few slits in the crust top to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush the egg mixture evenly over the whole crust, being careful not to block the slits. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.
7. Place a cookie sheet on the lower rack to catch any overflowing juices from the pie. Place the pie on the center rack and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and there is a sign of bubbling juices. Cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 1 hour. Slice and serve.