Traditional Apple Pie

• Crust:
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/ 3 cup shortening, *PLUS 2 Tbsp
• 5 tablespoon ice cold water
• Fresh Apple Pie Filling:
• 3/ 4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/ 2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch**
• 1/ 2 teaspoon cinnamon***
• 1/ 8 teaspoon salt
• 6 cup peeled, thinnly sliced tart apples(6-8 medium sized apples)

Recipe from Blog Post: https://www.nordicware.com/blog/pie-essentials/

Crust: (From Betty Crocker's Cookbook)
In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut shortening into the flour mixture until the size of peas.  Sprinkle the ice water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, into the mixture and stir with a fork until the “peas” hold together.  Gather the dough and knead it a few times.  Cut into two equal portions and shape each into a ball.  Cover and refrigerate until filling is ready.

Fresh Apple Pie Filling: Modified by Linda S.

In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  In a large bowl, place apple slices then sprinkle the dry mixture over them and toss with a fork to coat evenly.

Place one ball onto a floured board and flatten slightly.  With a floured rolling pin roll the dough from center outward, until it is two inches larger that the pie pan.  Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, then move over pie pan and unroll. Carefully ease the sides into the corners of the pan.  Trim the edge evenly, about 1/2 an inch beyond the pan edge.

Gently spoon the prepared apple slices into the crust making sure they lay flat and mound generously in the center. Roll out remaining dough on floured board,  then cut design with floured pie top cutter.  Roll onto rolling pin, start at one side and unroll over apple filling centering the design.  Seal and crimp the edges together.  Finish the top crust as desired. Place pie shield on pie edge.

Place pie on middle rack and bake 30 minutes, then remove pie shield and continue baking 15 minutes or until the crust is brown and apples are soft when inserting a small skewer into the filling.

* The extra 2 Tablespoons of shortening DO make a difference – a more flaky crust!

** Adding cornstarch to the dry mixture prevent the cooked filling from being runny once the pie is cooled.  If the pie filling is runny, the first cut piece will be nice, but the rest of the slices will be soggy – apple pie soup!

*** 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg can be added along with the cinnamon if you like a spicier pie filling