In the spirit of looking forward to making great Thanksgiving tables together, here is our favorite staple for Thanksgiving dessert – Apple Pie.
Apple Mixture:
6-8 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples, any kind (about 7 medium apples)
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tb butter
2 Tb cornstarch
In a bowl, toss the apple slices with the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly.
Pie Crust:
The pie crust will need to be chilled for at least a couple of hours, so I recommend making it ahead of time.
2 ½ cups flour
8 oz. cold butter, cut into small pieces
Pinch salt
1 Tb sugar
4 oz. cold water
Egg Wash: 1 beaten egg with half an eggshell of cold water
In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt, and sugar for a moment. Add the butter pieces and pulse repeatedly until the butter is mostly incorporated but you can still see small bits of butter. With the processor running, add the water in a steady drizzle until it’s mixed in. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Form the dough into a ball, cut it in half, and press it into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for a couple of hours. Once chilled, roll out into two crusts, about 2-3 inches bigger than your pie pan.
For the Pie:
Line the pie pan with the first crust. Add the apples, a couple of cups at a time and sprinkle each layer somewhat evenly with little bits of butter. Add the top crust, slice a few vent slits into it with a sharp knife, and gently press it down loosely onto the apples. Trim the excess crust, leaving about an inch at the edge. Roll the edge down inward and then pinch it gently to form a nice crimp all the way around. As an option, you can instead cut the top crust into strips and form a lattice top. Brush your top crust with an egg wash and sprinkle a bit of coarse sugar (“Sugar in the Raw” works well) on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until crust is golden and juices are bubbling.
