Grandma Ople's Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup water 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

DIRECTIONS
1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar and water; bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer 5 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off. 3. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes.

FOOTNOTE

Baking pie is a rather straightforward technique, but a few tips can only help to make your pies come out looking and tasting perfec

We used the

Best-Ever Pie Crust recipe.

1. There are four ingredients in a standard piecrust: flour, fat, liquid, and salt. Flour is necessary to form the structure and bulk of the crust, fat to add flavor and to create a flaky texture, liquid to bind the dough and keep it pliable, and salt to enhance the flavor and brown the crust.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup shortening 1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half, and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 2. Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don't over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe. If necessary, use a little less water than called for in recipe 2. When making this type of pie crust, chill the fat (butter, margarine, shortening, or lard) and liquids (milk or water) before you begin. Chilling will prevent the fat pieces from getting creamed into the flour. Stir the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Cut the chilled butter or shortening into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or by pinching the fat into the mixture with your hands. The resulting mixture should have fat lumps no larger than peas. 3. Pour in the chilled water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork after each addition. You should be able to gently press the dough into a ball. Handle the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the lumps of fat into the flour, as a crust without discrete lumps of fat will be dense, not flaky. 4. Split the dough into two equal amounts. Pat them into balls, flattening them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, lets the dough relax and become more elastic, and keeps the fat in discrete pieces which will give the crust a lighter texture when it is baked. 5. Generously dust a clean, dry surface with flour; remove and unwrap one of the discs of dough from the refrigerator. Flatten the dough slightly with your hands and dust the dough lightly with flour before rolling the dough out with a rolling pin. Start rolling at the center of the dough and work outwards. If you're a beginning pie-maker--or prefer easier cleanup--you can roll out the dough between sheets of waxed paper. 6. Working quickly, roll the dough into a circle -inch thick or smaller. The size of the dough round should be about four inches wider in diameter than your pie pan. Use a dry pastry brush to sweep away any excess flour. 7. Gently fold the dough in half, and then into quarters. Carefully pick it up and place it into the pie plate so the center point of dough is in the center of the pan. 8. Carefully unfold the dough: it should be centered in the pan. Without stretching the dough, press the pastry firmly into the pan and trim any excess dough from the edge. Leave a -inch overhang to make a decorative fluted edge or trim it to a half-inch if you're adding a top crust. If the dough cracks a little during this process, press it back together with your fingers or patch the cracks with a bit of dough from the outer edges. 9. Once the pie is loaded with filling, unwrap the second ball of dough. Lattice tops, decorative top crusts made with cut-out shapes, braided edges, and other artistic touches all make a pie stand out. To make a standard top crust, roll the dough out as explained above and lay it carefully over the pie. Tuck the edges of the top crust under the lower crust and press together lightly. Using the rim of the pie plate as a guide, create a fluted edge with

your fingers or the back of a spoon. Cut vents with a sharp paring knife, or use a fork to prick a decorative pattern on the top crust. Brush the surface with egg wash or milk, if desired, and bake as directed.

Pie Crust Ingredients

This recipe calls for: 2 cups all-purpose flour I teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 6 tablespoons butter 6 tablespoons shortening 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water hint: If this is your first time making this pie crust, make a double batch to be sure you have enough crust.

First Step: Mixing the Pie Crust Ingredients

Warm the butter in the microwave until it is soft, but not melted. Mix in a large bowl: 2 cups all-purpose flour I teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar Then cut in using the dough blender: 6 tablespoons butter 6 tablespoons shortening 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

Second Step: Chill the Pie Dough

Wrap your pie crust in plastic wrap. Then place in refrigerator for 20 or more minutes, while you make the pie filling.

Apple Pie Filling Ingredients

For the apple pie filling you need: 5 Tart Peeled Apples 1 Cup Sugar 2 Tablespoons Flour 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon 1/4 Teaspoon Salt 1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

First Step: Slice Apples

Peel and slice your apples. Soak them in water with a tablespoon of lemon juice. This will prevent the first apples cut from turning a funky color.

Second Step: Mix Filling

Mix in large mixing bowl: 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon vinegar

Third Step: Mix Apples

Now, drain the water off of the apples and mix them with the spices.

Put the Pie Together

First Step: Cut
Now that your pie crust has had plenty of time to cool, divide it into two, equal halves.

Second Step: Rolling Pie Crust

Roll one of the balls of pie crust out until it is around 1/8th of an inch thick.

Third Step: Putting Crust in Pie Pan

Once you have rolled out the dough, wrap it around the rolling pin and unroll it onto your pie pan. Once you have shaped it to fit the inside of the pan, take a fork and poke holes in the bottom of the crust. This will let the steam out as the pie bakes.

Four Step: Filling Apple Pie

Dump all of the apples in the pie. Place about 4 chunks of butter on top of apple filling. This will give the filling rich flavor.

Fifth Step: Putting Top Pie Crust On Pie

Ok, we're almost done! Roll out the remaining pie dough and place it on top.

Six Step: Forming Edge of Pie Crust

Create a pattern around the edge of the pie by using the back of a knife. Let's bake Our Apple Pie!

Baking the Apple Pie

First Step: Baking Apple Pie
Cut long strips of tinfoil and place them around the edge of the pie. This will prevent the crust's edge from burning while it bakes. You will want to take the tinfoil off about ten minutes before the pie is done. This way, the apple pie will have a golden brown edge. Bake your pie at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes. hint: Place a cookie sheet covered in tinfoil on the lowest oven rack (not on the same rack as the pie) to prevent any overflow from reaching the bottom of the oven--easy cleanup!

Second Step: Brush With Egg White

For a glossy effect, brush a small portion of egg white on top of the crust when you remove the tinfoil.