| The perfect apple pie is different for each person. I have discovered that the main controversy over the perfect apple pie is the apple filling. It seems that half of apple pie lovers like the apples in the pie to be sweet and soft, much like applesauce, while the other half look for a pie with tart, crisp apples. This pie contains the best of both worlds, along with the addition of lemon juice to the crust for added flakiness and a layer of pecans for flavor and texture. |
| Crust: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 34 cup Crisco shortening 1 tablespoon lemon juice 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water |
| Filling: 6 sweet baking apples (such as Rome Beauty or Fuji) |
| 6 tart baking apples (such as Granny Smith or Pippin) |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (divided) |
| 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups granulated sugar (divided) |
| 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour (divided) |
| 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick; divided) |
| 1 cup chopped pecans |
| To make crust: Mix flour, salt and sugar, then cut in shortening until the mixture is the size of small peas . Add lemon juice, then mix in 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time until the dough just holds together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. |
| To make filling: Core, peel and thinly slice all of the apples, keeping the tart and sweet apples separate. To the sliced sweet apples add 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, the nutmeg, 1 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons of the flour and 2 tablespoons of the butter, and mix thoroughly. Cook the apple mixture in the microwave on high for 20 minutes or until apples are soft and mushy. Hand-mash the mixture until it has the consistency of a thick applesauce. Set aside. |
| To the sliced tart apples add the lemon juice and remaining cinnamon, the salt, and the remaining sugar and flour. Mix gently until the apples are thoroughly coated with the seasoning. |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees. |
| Remove the dough from the refrigerator and separate into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other. Start by rolling out the smaller ball on a floured surface from the center out, into a circle about 2 inches bigger than the pie pan (I use a 9 inch dull pie pan). Use plenty of flour on the rolling surface and on the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking. Slide the rolled dough into the pie pan, fitting it in with your fingers. Roll the larger ball out the same way and set aside. |
| Put the sweet apple mixture in the pie pan, spreading evenly. Put enough mixture in pan to leave about 1/2 inch of room at the top. Add the chopped pecans evenly over the sweet apple mixture. Add the tart apple mixture on top, making a mound in the middle. This makes a well-formed apple pie. Put as much of this mixture in the pie as you can. Wet the edges of the bottom pie crust with your finger so the top crust will adhere to it. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into small lumps and evenly distribute on the top of the apples. Place the top crust on the pie, pressing the 2 overhanging crusts together. Roll overhang to the pie rim, then place index finger of one hand on the inside of crust rim, and thumb and index finger of other hand on the outside. Pinch crust into V shape along entire edge. Pinch again to sharpen. |
| Pierce the top crust with a fork in several places so steam can escape, being creative. Sprinkle some sugar on top of the pie. Position rack in lower-middle portion of oven so bottom crust turns out flakier and the edge has less of a chance of getting too brown. (Aluminum foil placed around the edge of the pie will also prevent over-browning.) Place pie in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Place a cookie sheet in the bottom of the oven to catch any drips. |
| Check the pie at 45 minutes. Pie is done when it has a golden brown color. |
| Nick Hooten |
