Apple Pie

In keeping with an Autumn upstate New York tradition, I made apple pie this past weekend. I usually make it every fall at least once. I thought I'd share my recipe - it's one that was my grandmother's and always a family favorite.

Apple Pie

Double Crust Pie Dough (recipe below) - If you don't want to make your own, I'm told Pillsbury's Refrigerated Pie Crust works just as well. (2 come in a box.)
6 cups (about 2 pounds) thinly sliced cooking apples. (I prefer using Granny Smith or Cortland.)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the pie dough to line a 9 inch pie plate. Trim the edge if necessary.  Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced apples to the sugar mixture. Toss to coat well. Pour the apple sugar mixture into the prepared pie plate. Dot the top with pieces of the butter or margarine. Cut slits or a design of your choice into the remaining pie crust to allow steam to escape and place it on top of the filling. Seal and flute the edges of the pie crusts together. Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is a golden color.  Cool the pie on a rack.

Double Crust Pie Dough

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup Crisco shortening
6 to 7 tablespoons cold water

In a medium mixing bowl, stir the flour and salt together. Cut in the shortening until the pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over the mixture. Gently toss with a fork and push to the side of the bowl. Repeat until all is moistened and you can form dough into two balls. On a lightly floured surface, flatten out one of the dough balls and roll from the center to the edges forming a 12 inch circle. Do the same with the second ball to form the top crust.