Classic Apple Pie

With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, the classic apple pie is essential! I have been making apple pies for as long as I can remember in my mom’s kitchen for thanksgiving and it’s just so nostalgic and brings me right back to her kitchen. The buttery crust and warm apple spice smells running through the air. It really is the best!

The key to this pie is to cook the apples down a little before filling the crust, so you don’t have a soggy crust and you don’t end up with a runny apple pie, the worst!

Pie Crust (makes 2 crusts)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/3 cup ice cold water

Directions

In a food processor with a metal blade attachment, add in the flour, salt and sugar. Give it a couple pulses to incorporate everything. Drop in the cold cubed butter and continue to pulse until the butter is broken down into pea size pieces and covered in flour. With the motor running slowly pour in the cold water until the dough starts to come together. You may need more or less depending.

Once it starts to come together dump it out onto a floured surface and knead it a couple times so it comes together into a smooth disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes to an hour. While it’s chilling make the filling.

Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients

• 10-12 medium size firm apples, (I love McIntosh but use your favorite apples, a combination would be great too) cored, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. corn starch
• 1 egg
• cinnamon sugar

Directions

In a large bowl add in all the apples, lemon juice, sugar and spices. Toss everything until all the apples are coated evenly.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the apples and cook until the sugar is all dissolved, stirring frequently. Cover and reduce heat and let them continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes just until the apples are tender but not falling apart. Using a slotted spoon, remove the apples and place them in a strainer with a bowl underneath. Once all the liquid is drained from all the apples pour the liquid back into the pan. Turn up the heat to medium low and whisk in the corn starch and salt whisking until the sauce is thickened, should only take a couple minutes, and coat the back of a spoon evenly.

Once the sauce is thickened pour back over the apples and spread the mixture onto a sheet pan and place in the fridge to cool completely.

While the apples are cooling roll out the crust. Cut the disk in half and working on a floured surface constantly turning it. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Place into a pie pan, fill the crust with the cooled apples pie filling.

Then roll out the other half of the disk again to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into about 1/2 inch strips. Start to construct the lattice top by placing one set of strips on the pie. Fold every other strip over. Then working perpendicular add another strip folding the other ones down. Then continue to fold every other strip down alternating strips to create the lattice. Cut any excess dough off around the edges, I liked to add a couple little braids with the extra dough but you don’t have to.

In a small bowl whisk an egg for the egg wash, and brush evenly on top of the crust. Then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place on a sheet pan and bake for about 45-55 minutes.

–Tent tinfoil over the pie so the edges don’t burn and then remove for the last 15 minutes. Once baked let cool and serve with ice cream!!