Awesome Apple Pie

This pie can be made with any combination of apples as long as some are tart. Sweet apples tend to become too sweet and sometimes mushy when baked. Accompany this apple pie with sweet vanilla ice cream for the perfect combination of sweet and tart and hot and cold!

The Recipe:

yield: one 9-inch pie

Ingredients:

2 batches of pie crust (see Perfectly Flaky Pie Dough recipe)

6/7 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 inch cubes

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar (divided)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon milk

Vanilla ice cream for serving

Directions for Crust:

Preheat oven to 400º F

1. Flour work surface and dough disk. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Center over the pie tin and push down, allowing excess to hang over the sides.

2. Trim dough so that 1-inch hangs over the side of the tin. Fold this over to create double crust. Press gently to crimp edges as desired.

3.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.

4. Use second batch of dough to roll into thin 1/8 inch thick and 1/4 inch wide strips to be used for a lattice. Keep these aside.

Directions for Filling:

1. In a large bowl, toss the apples with 1/3 cup sugar (or enough to taste sweet enough), the lemon juice, allspice and cinnamon until evenly coated.

Directions for Preparation:

1. Transfer the filling into the crust. Avoid pouring in juices that may have collected at the bottom of the mixing bowl.

2. Press down on apples firmly to eliminate air pockets within pie.

3. Create lattice by weaving dough strips across the top of the pie, about 5 strips each direction. Trim dough and crimp edges for desired appearance.

4. Beat egg yolk with milk to create egg wash. Glaze the surface of the pie. Do not over-glaze, as this will create streaks on the surface of the crust.

5. Bake the pie on a rimmed pan for 50-60 minutes, until crust is golden brown and apples are bubbling and tender. If crust browns too quickly, cover crust with pieces of aluminum foil.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Notes:

Pie will keep at room temperature and covered for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate covered. To reheat, set oven to 375º F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.