Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

Old-Fashioned Apple Pie (CJ Katz)

This is simply a delicious pie. Try to use a combination of different apples in your filling – like Gala, Honeycrisp and Mackintosh. The addition of vanilla and just a pinch of salt, really takes this pie to a new level.

Makes one 10” pie

Filling

6 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced

½ cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

3 tsp soft butter

1 beaten egg, for egg wash

1 tbsp granulated sugar

 

Pie Crust

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup cold shortening or lard

About 1-1 ½ cups ice water

 

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and salt. Stir well to evenly distribute the sugar and spices. Set aside while you make the pastry.

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; mix well. Using a box grater, grate in the shortening and butter. Sweep up some of the flour with the fat as you grate. Using a fork, mix in about 3/4 cup ice water. Continue to add water in small amounts, until the mixture feels slightly moist and begins to stick together. Shape the dough into two equal sized balls.

On a floured board, roll out the first ball into about a 13-14” round. Fold in half and then in half again and then ease it gently into the pie plate. Roll out the second ball to about 11” wide. Fold in half and then in half again. Trim off the tip of the triangle and make slits along both sides of the dough.

Transfer the filling to the pastry-lined pie plate. Dot the top with the 3 tsp butter. Top with the pastry dough by placing the trimmed tip of the triangle in the centre of the filing and opening it up. Trim the edge of both crusts to within ½” of the pie plate. Using your fingers fold under both layers of pastry, then crimp the edges closed. Brush the top with egg wash, then sprinkle with some granulated sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F. Then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake another 35-45 minutes, until you are starting to see the center of the filling bubbling. Remove and let cool before serving.