I like a nice spicy apple pie with a
flaky crumbly crust. This is it:
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp + 1/2 cup sugar
2 lemons
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp molasses
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 stick butter
5 medium Stayman apples
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
First, make the crust: Scoop 1/2 cup vegetable shortening by teaspoons into a bowl. Keep the scoops separate in the bowl. Freeze it for at least 2 hours.
Put 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt into food processor, with knife blade installed (not the dough blade). Mix the dry ingredients.
Add the frozen shortening. Mix until all shortening globules are less than pea sized. Add ~4 tbsp ice water. Mix until dough starts to hold together. If dough is still too loose after water addition, add a bit more and mix further.
Remove dough from processor. Split the dough into two halves.
With each half:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out and fold up dough at least 5 times. Flour the layers very lightly in between rolling out and folding over. After 5 rollovers, the dough should start to show some elasticity.
Roll dough out to circles, one large enough for the pieplate, one large enough for the cover.
Next, make the filling:
Peel apples. Core apples. You need an apple corer if you're going to be baking pies. They're cheap; get one. Slice apples first in half, then in 1/2" arc wedges (about 5 per half).
Add apples, butter, vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar, molasses, nutmeg and cinnamon to medium saucepan. Add strained juice of 2 lemons. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples just start to soften on the outside, and syrup comes up to the top of apples in the pan. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup flour. Pour into lower pie crust.
Wet the exterior edge of the piecrust with water. Place the top piecrust on. Using a fork, mash the two crusts together along the outside edge. Cut off excess crust.
Place 5 1" long incisions in the top of the pie for venting. I space them evenly in a circle; you can get creative with the cuts if you like. Brush the top of the pie with milk, then sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 375° F in the top third of the oven for 1 hour. The crust should be golden brown. Remove to rack to cool. Enjoy.