My family is a strictly apple pie household. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, my mom is prepping dough and buying a peck of apples.. and *only* using pumpkin puree for pumpkin bread. Growing up with this apple pie, I became a bit of a pie snob. Pretentious as I was, I still have high standards for the filling and dough, and this pie set those high standards. This recipe is unique because it relies only on a bit of nutmeg—no cinnamon. Shocking, I know. The filling is bright with a hint of warm spice that pays homage to the apple itself.
Dough:
- 2 1/4 cups of APF
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 2 tbsp of sugar
- 11 tbsp of salted butter, needs to be chilled
- 7 tbsp of vegetable shortening, needs to be chilled
- 6-7 tbsp of ice water
Filling:
- 8 cups of apples, sliced thinly (make sure to pick an apple that is good for baking)
- Half cup of sugar
- Juice of one lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp of nutmeg
Start out prepping the dough. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk them together. Then, using a pastry cutter, cut the fats into the dry ingredients. If you don't have a pastry cutter, cut the fats into really small pieces and then use a fork. Gradually add the ice water, one tbsp at a time until the mixture begins to hold together, but it not too sticky. Divide the dough into two balls on cling wrap. One ball should be bigger than the other, and the other should be smaller. Once formed, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Turn your attention to the filling. Peel all of the apples and begin slicing them thinly, making sure to get as much of the fruit as possible. In a large bowl, juice the lemon and begin putting the slices into the bowl as you slice to ensure that they don't oxidize (the acid will help with that). Once all the apples are sliced, add the sugar, salt, and nutmeg. This stage is a good time to preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Flatten the dough balls into manageable discs. Begin rolling out the dough on a well floured, clean surface. If you don't have a rolling pin, a wine bottle works well. Try to keep the dough as circular as possible and roll until it is about 1/8 inch thickness.
Place the larger rolled out dough into the bottom of an un-greased 9 inch pie pan. Add the apple mixture on top, but be aware of how much liquid the apples gave off. You do not want to transfer too much liquid in the pie or the bottom crust will be soggy. Add the other rolled out dough on top and crimp the edges together. It's okay if you have to patch some holes—this crust is very forgiving. Make at least five slits in the middle of the top crust to let out steam.
Place the pie pan on a baking sheet so that it is easier to retrieve from the oven. Put the pie in the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 degrees. Starting with a hotter oven will help ensure that the pie is not soggy. Bake for about an hour. The pie should be golden brown and slightly bubbly when it is done.
Once done, let the pie cool for at least two hours before slicing to avoid the pie releasing liquid.
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