Jean's Apple Pie
My mother was such a fabulous cook and an incredible baker! Whether it's her oatmeal chocolate cherry cookies or this perfect apple pie recipe, my mother was always perfecting her craft. She will always be a real inspiration to me!
Serves 8
Ingredients
Jean's Apple Pie
2 1/2 lbs. apples, quartered, cored, peeled, 1/2-inch slices
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar, depending upon the sweetness of the apple
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 recipe Jean's Perfect Pie Crust (see recipe)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
In a bowl, toss together the apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice.
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Roll half of the pie dough to 1/8" thick. Fit the dough into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges leaving a 1-inch overhang. Roll out the top shell to 1/8" thick and reserve in the refrigerator. Pour the apples into the pie pan. Dot with butter, distributing evenly. Brush the edges of the dough with water. Cover the apples with the top crust. Trim the top crust leaving a 1/2-inch overhang around the edges. Press the top and bottom crust gently together and crimp to make a decorative edge.
In a small bowl, whisk the yolk and cream together. Brush the top of the pastry. With a knife, make a few cuts into the middle of the dough to let the steam escape. Bake the pie for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue to cook until the apples are tender and the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.
To serve, cut the pie into wedges.
Jean's Perfect Pie Crust
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup cold water
In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using either with a fork or a pastry blender, add the shortening and butter and mix until it is the size of peas. Sprinkle the water over the top and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for two hours or overnight. Place the dough on a floured surface and roll the dough into 2 nine-inch circles, one for the bottom and one for the top crust.
Note: The secret to rolling is to roll out from the middle and flour the rolling pin. Pie dough can also be rolled out between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.
