apple pie, part 2

when we bought our farm, I remember my mother exclaiming with great delight..."this is a pie kitchen!" and I smiled with anticipation

as I mentioned in my earlier post "apple pie, part 1" we have been making utility pies for several years now and it is the perfect way to begin my favorite season and get into my nesting mode

you can read the original post here and apple pie, part 1 here

and so without further ado ... part 2, making the pies...

our apple pie recipe has been lovingly passed down several generations and

it is downright yummy and I'd like to share it with you

***MOM'S APPLE PIE***

PIE FILLING

Ingredients:  1 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of salt, 4 TBsp flour, 6 cups mixed apple varieties cut into 1/2" sized cube, 2 TBsp melted butter

Peel and cut apples into 1/2" size cubes.  

This is a little trick handed down through the family and is important for perfectly cooked apples.

Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutbeg, salt and flour.  Mix apple pieces with the melted butter.  Pour sugar mixture over the apples and toss.  Turn into a pie pan with bottom crust already in place (see below), mounding the apples in the center.

PIE CRUST

Ingredients:  2 cups flour, 3/4 cup shortening, good pinch of salt, 4-5 TBsp ice water

Refrigerate bowl, pastry cutter and fork until ready to use.  Sift flour with salt.  With a pastry cutter, cut shortening into the flour.  Sprinkle ice water a TBsp at a time into mixture and mix lightly with a fork.

Shape into two balls and roll out one ball to fit your pie pan.

Use a liberally floured and sugared surface, rolling lightly from the center out.  Fold in half, then in quarter and transfer to the pie plate.

Let edges hang over for now.  Add apple filling.

Repeat steps with your second ball for the top crust.  Once in place, remove the real excessive overhang.  Turn both crusts under and pinch or crimp together.  Cut vents in the center.

BAKE FOR 15 MINUTES IN A PREHEATED OVEN AT 425, THEN REDUCE HEAT TO 375 FOR 30 MINUTES MORE.

RELAX and enjoy the smell of a baking apple pie.

Let cool a bit, then eat!

*UTILITY PIES:  Do not pre-cook.  Wrap in heavy duty foil and freeze pies.  Bake the frozen pie at 450 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 for 45 minutes more.