Apple Pie
Photo: Dan Parsons, CC BY-SA 2.0
This double-crust apple pie uses a pastry made with both margarine and lard, which gives a crust that is tender and short. The filling is thickened with flour and cornstarch, and the apples are drained of their juice before baking so the pie does not bubble over. The recipe suggests mixing apple varieties, with a couple of Granny Smiths for tartness, and never precooking the fruit.
Instructions
Rub the flour, margarine, lard and salt together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of water to bring it together into a soft but firm dough.
Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to the size of your pie, and make two crusts. Lay one crust in the pie pan.
Peel the apples and slice them into segments about ⅛ to ¼ inch (5 mm) thick. Toss them by hand with the lemon juice, ½ cup of the sugar and a few dashes of cinnamon.
Lift the apples into the pan, leaving behind the juice they have given off. Leaving it out keeps the pie from boiling over in the oven.
In a separate bowl, mix the remaining sugar with cinnamon, nutmeg, the flour and the cornstarch. Pour this over the apples and dot the top with the butter.
Cover with the second crust and press the edges down with a fork or your fingers. Cut heart or diamond shaped vents in the top crust.
Brush the top with milk and sprinkle with extra sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 °F (180 °C) for about 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
Let the pie cool slightly on the counter, since the filling will be hot enough to burn. Serve it warm with ice cream or custard.
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