Grandma's Apple Pie

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the Filling

• 8 large apples (preferably a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the Crust

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and sugar together.
2. Add the cold, cubed butter and work it into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
3. Drizzle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough begins to form large clumps.
4. Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Prepare the Filling

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/4-inch slices.
2. In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and lemon juice.

Assemble the Pie

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. On a floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch circle and transfer to a 9-inch pie dish.
3. Pour the apple filling into the crust and dot with butter pieces.
4. Roll out the second disk of dough and either place on top as a full crust (cut slits for venting) or cut into strips for a lattice top.
5. Trim excess dough and crimp the edges.
6. Brush the top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
7. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any overflow.

Bake

1. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F.
2. Continue baking for 40-45 minutes more, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
3. Cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

This recipe has been in our family for four generations. Grandma Jean always said the secret was using a mix of tart and sweet apples. For best results, serve slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.