Awesome Apple Pie

by Lady Jess

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE apple pie!  As a matter of fact, I made one the other day!  Here’s the recipe I used:

For the crust:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 8-10 tablespoons ice cold water

1. In a medium bowl stir together the flour and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the pieces are pea size.
2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over the flour mixture and toss with a fork.  Repeat until the flour mixture is moistened and it comes togther easily.  If it is really sticky you can add a little bit of flour to it, but don’t add too much, it will become crumbly.  If it does become crumbly add a little more ice cold water to it until it manageable.  Divide the dough in half and form the halves into separate balls.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten one dough ball.  Roll it from the center to the edges until it forms a circle that is 12 inches in diameter.
4. Place the dough into a 9-inch pie plate.  Ease the pastry dough into the pie plate without stretching it.  Trim the dough until it is even with the rim of the pie plate.
5. *At this point you can add the below filling to the dish*
6. Roll the remaining pastry ball into a cirlce 12 inches in diameter.  Cut small slits in the pastry.  Place the pastry circle on the filling and trim to fit the edge.  Fold the edge of the top pastry under the edge of the bottom pastry and crimp the edges.

For the filling:

• 6 cups thinly sliced and peeled cooking apples (I used Granny Smith.)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (To prevent the apples from becoming brown.)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Prepare and roll out the dough.
2. Sprinkle the apples with the lemon juice.  Place the apples in a large skillet and cook on low and keep your eye on them.  We don’t want apple mush.  Take the apples off of the heat (but still in the pan) when they reach a stage where they give slight resistance when cut in half.  Now add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.  Gently fold it together.  *Do NOT stir, you will end up with mush.  Just fold it all until it is combined.*
3. Now you may transfer the apple mixture from the skillet into the pie plate.
4. Follow the directions in the crust section.
5. Before placing the pie in the oven brush some whole milk on the top and sprinkle sugar over that, then cover the edges with tin foil.  Bake at 375 for 1 hour checking ever 20 minutes to reapply the milk and sugar.  You should reapply the milk and sugar twice.  The third time only apply sugar.

Enjoy!

Lady Jess is a teen lady who is homeschooled along with her siblings. She assists her mother in teaching her younger siblings, is an interpreter for deaf ministry, sings in a local choir, and is in training to be a homeschooling parent herself one day.