Perfect Apple Pie

By pammons

Ingredients

• Pie:
• 5-7 tart apples
• 3/4 to 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Plain Pastry:
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 4-5 tablespoon cold H20

Preparation

Step 1

Pastry:
Sift flour and salt; cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Add cold water, a teaspoon at a time, tossing with a fork until all is barely dampened. Then mixture into a square of waxed paper. Gather up corners pressing form outside to form a compact ball. Divide for lower and upper crusts. Chilling dough to make it easier to handle. Milk may be used instead of water for a slightly browner crust.

Pie:
Pare apples and slice. Mix sugar, flour, salt, and spices; sprinkle half over 9" pastry-lines pie-pan. Heap apples into pastry shell; sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Dot with butter. Adjust top crust. Brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar. Bake in hot oven (450 degrees) 10 min, Then in moderate oven (350 degrees) about 40 min. If apples are not tart, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice; grated lemon peal may also be added. Serve warm or cold.