Classic Apple Pie

By smleonard

If you are making this pie during the fall apple season, follow the recipe using Macoun, Royal Gala, Empire, Winesap, Rhode Island Greening, or Cortland apples.

Placing the pie on a baking sheet in the oven inhibits cooking, so cover the bottom of the oven with a sheet of aluminum foil to catch dripping juices. The pie is best eaten when cooled almost to room temperature, or even the next day.

Ingredients

• Pie Dough:
• 2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening (chilled)
• 6-8 tablespoons ice water
• Apple Filling:
• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples (4 medium)
• 2 pounds McIntosh apples (4 medium)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 egg white, beaten lightly
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, for topping

Details

Adapted from cooksillustrated.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Pulse flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor work bowl fitted with the steel blade. Add butter and pulse to mix in five 1-second bursts. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale-yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, four or five more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

To do this by hand, freeze the butter and shortening, grate it into the flour using the large holes of a box grater, and rub the flour-coated pieces between your fingers for a minute until the four turns pale-yellow and coarse.

2) Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ice water if dough will not hold together. Squeeze dough gently until cohesive and divide into two equal balls. Flatten each into a 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap separately in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling.

3. Remove dough from refrigerator. If stiff and very cold, let stand until dough is cool but malleable. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

4. Roll one dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fold dough in quarters, then place dough point in center of 9-inch Pyrex regular or deep dish pie pan. Unfold dough.

5. Gently press dough into sides of pan leaving portion that overhangs lip of pie plate in place. Refrigerate while preparing fruit.

6. Peel, core, and cut apples into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices and toss with 3/4 cup sugar, lemon juice and zest, allspice and cinnamon. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center. Roll out other dough round and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2 inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits at right angles on dough top. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Omit if freezing unbaked pie.

7. Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden-brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack, cool to almost room temperature, at least 4 hours.

8. Do-Ahead: Freeze the unbaked pie for two to three hours, then cover it with double layer of plastic wrap, and return it to the freezer for no more than two weeks. To bake, remove the pie from the freezer, brush it with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and place directly into a preheated 425 degree oven. After baking it for the usual 55-minutes, reduce the oven to 325 degrees, cover the pie with foil so as not to overcook the crust, and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes.

Sealing-the-Pie-in-the-Pastry Tips:

1. Make sure to use enough apples to mound the filling so a large space does not develop between crust and filling during baking.

2. Use kitchen scissors to trim the overhanging edges of the top and bottom crusts to approximately one-half inch.

3. For a neat edge that stays sealed, tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so the folded edge is flush with the pan lip.

4. Finish the formation of the double crust by pressing the edges with a fork or fluting them to seal them well.