Old-fashioned apple pie
Old-fashioned apple pie
Double Crust Pie Dough
6 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon salt
16 ounces chilled, unsalted butter (see note)
¾ cup ice cold water
Filling
6 apples, peeled and sliced
Juice of ½ lemon
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
For the crust: Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. With paddle attachment on mixer or your fingertips, cut in cold butter. For flaky dough, the fat should be the size of peas.
Gradually mix in ice cold water to form a shaggy dough. Dough should not be wet. Turn out onto a flat surface and knead lightly. Gather the dough 1 or 2 times only, so as not to over work.
Place in a bowl, cover and chill thoroughly, about 30 minutes.
Cut dough in half and place one half in between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to desired thickness or about inch. While rolling out, occasionally flip over dough for an even crust. Repeat for other half.
Chill pie dough on a sheet pan after rolling out until needed.
For the filling: In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Mix sugar, cornstarch starch and spices and fold into apples.
To assemble: Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Once dough is chilled and filling ready, carefully roll one half of the dough up onto a rolling pin and unroll dough into pie dish. Trim edges if necessary.
Add filling to pie crust and dot pie with butter before covering with top crust.
Use rolling pin to transfer top crust onto apples. Trim excess and crimp sides to seal crusts together. Cut a small hole in the center of the top crust for steam to escape. Place pie into oven and bake 30 minutes at 450. After 30 minutes, turn down oven to 375 degrees and cover outer trim with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Serves eight.
Cook's note: Use one package, unsalted butter and cut into small squares to cut in easier. Keep butter in freezer until needed, this prevents stickiness and keeps the fat firm.
Adapted from "On Baking" by Sarah R. Labensky, Eddy Van Damme, Priscilla Martel and Klaus Tenbergen (2005 Prentice Hall)