Basic Apple Pie Recipe

8 servings

Crust (recipe makes one double crust)

2 1/2 cups white flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter, broken into small pieces
5 tbsp. cold vegetable shortening
8 tbsp. ice water

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Measure the flour, sugar and salt together.  Stir to combine.

Add the chilled butter pieces and shortening to the bowl. Cut them in with a pastry cutter or knife.  Don't over mix them.

Add the ice water. Mix until the dough holds together (add a bit more water, if necessary).

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead it together, then divide in half.  

Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in saran wrap and chill for at least half an hour.

Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle that's about 12 inches in diameter.

Put the circle in a 9" pie plate, trimming any extra dough from the edges with a sharp knife (parents only). Return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to make the pie.

Add filling (see below)

Roll out the second ball of dough and cover top.  Use a fork or your fingers to pinch the edges together.  Cut a couple slits in the top.

Filling

1/3 to 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
8 medium sized apples (a medium apple = about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons butter

Peel, core and slice the apples.  Try to keep the size of the slices even.

Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.

Stir in apples.

Pour into pastry-lined pie plate.

Dot with butter.

Cover with top crust and seal the edges. Cut slits in the top. 

OPTIONAL:  Cover edge with 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent too much browning.

Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.