Author Notes
This is one of those recipes that I've got memorized thanks to making it with my mom a zillion times growing up, which she originally learned from her mom (and many versions ago, from Pillsbury ). The crust recipe is a gift from me to you care of Carla Hall (the Chew).
I made an apple pie last week just for fun (also to celebrate Boss Appreciation Day, and also because I had a plethora of apples from Washington Square CSA) so I figured I should share the recipe.
It's a hand-me-down that I'm very grateful for! —Jacqueline Russo
Ingredients
- First, the Crust - if you follow the directions it's seriously fool proof
-
2 cups
All Purpose flour, sifted, plus more for dusting
-
8 ounces
(two sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
-
1 tablespoon
sugar (sometimes I use honey or agave)
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1 teaspoon
salt
-
1/3 cup
water
- Now for the filling:
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6 cups
apples, peeled and sliced (I like to use mostly granny smith because I looooove the tartness, but go ahead and blend whatever apples you like!)
-
1/2 - 2/3 cups
sugar (adjust to your taste)
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2 tablespoons
fresh squeezed lemon juice
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1 1/2 teaspoons
cinnamon
-
1 teaspoon
nutmeg
-
Pinch
salt
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2 tablespoons
all purpose flour, divided
-
2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
-
1/4 cup
whole milk
Directions
- First, the Crust - if you follow the directions it's seriously fool proof
-
Dice the butter then wrap it back up and put it in the freezer for a few minutes along with the paddle for your standing mixer. In a small bowl, stir the salt and sugar with the water until fully dissolved, then add to freezer to chill.
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Once the butter is chilled and firm add it to your standing mixer and cut with the flour for about 45 seconds on a medium-low speed. Add the water solution all at once and run the mixer on medium until the dough forms. This should not take more than a minute to come together.
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With floured hands form dough into two round discs, wrap in wax paper and set aside to chill in the fridge.
- Now for the filling:
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Preheat the oven to 425*F
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In a large bowl, toss apples with sugar and lemon juice and let stand 5 minutes for sugar to dissolve. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and 1 TBSP flour, toss to combine. Taste and feel free to mess with my measurements if you want a little more or less of something. But don't skip the flour or your pie will be soup.
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Once the filling is prepared, roll out one crust disc on a lightly floured surface to approximately 14" diameter, no less than 1/4" thickness. Place in 9 inch glass pie dish, trim edges and place in freezer for 5-10 minutes.
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Roll out second disc and set aside. Remove pie dish from freezer and fill with prepared apples. Spread the remaining 1 TBSP flour evenly over apple filling and dot with little chunks of the 2 TBSP butter. With a pastry brush, spread a thin layer of milk around the edge of the crust. Set your second crust in place on top of the apple filling and crimp the edges to seal. Slice a few slits for steam to escape and brush the whole crust with the remaining milk.
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Bake the pie in the middle rack of the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until juice begins to bubble through your slits.
Have fun with it! Everyone loves pie :-)
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