Nana Tierney's Blue Ribbon Apple Pie

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"My friend Cathy Tierney, of Pawtucket, loves to share recipes. Today she offers her recipe on how to make an apple pie. It won't be the first time; she has taught grandchildren and great-grandchildren how to make it. At 94, she's not only still cooking, but she recently threw out the first pitch at a Pawtucket Red Sox game.
Gail Chiampa"

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Ingredients

  • Pie:
  • 8-10 apples (McIntosh preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • water
  • Nana's Super Pie Crust(see recipe)
  • a few graham crackers
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca powder(or flour)
  • lemon zest
  • 2-3 tablespoons butter 1 egg white for wash
  • sugar to sprinkle
  • Crust
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 1/4 cup Crisco Butter Flavor
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • water

Preparation

Step 1

Nana Tierney's Super Pie Crust:

In a large bowl mix flour, salt and sugar and mix well. Add butter and Crisco and cut shortening with a pastry blender until broken into small crumbs.
Break egg into a measuring cup. Beat with a fork. Add vinegar and mix. Add enough water to fill the cup to the 2/3 mark. Add to the flour mixture and form into a ball with your hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Nan Tierney's Blue Ribbon Apple Pie:

Peel and core apples, slice and place in a saucepan. Add lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well. Add 3 or 4 drops of water. Place on medium heat and cook for 5-6 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon until they are softened.
Remove from heat and cool while you roll out dough.
Remove dough from fridge and slice into three equal parts. Return one part to fridge(for 3-4 days) or freezer. Roll out other two pieces on floured wax paper. Wax paper is 12 inches wide and you've rolled it enough when you reach the width end of paper.
Put crust in 9-inch glass pie plate.
Crumble up graham crackers and sprinkle on bottom of crust.
Pour in apple mixture. Add a little freshly grated lemon zest for zing. Sprinkle tapioca or flour over the apples.
Cut butter into pats and top apples.
Add top crust and secure with bottom crust.
Fork-whip egg white and brush over the crust. Sprinkle with a handful of sugar. Cut two or three slits in dough to allow steam to vent.
Bake 50 minutes in a 350F oven.

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