Recipe: Lucy's Apple Pie

This is my recipe, at least the filling is. Its actually a 'family' recipe, passed on to me.

This was my first time making a lattice crust. Its not nearly as hard as it looks! I printed out directions from Simply Recipes. The crust came from "Good Housekeeping Best-Loved Desserts".


Lucy's Apple Pie Filling:
4 Gala apples (or 2 Gala & 2 Golden Delicious for a slightly less sweet taste)
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon (you can substitute cinnamon sugar if you like)
dash of salt
In a large bowl mix dry ingredients. Peel and core apples, slice each slice in half (the long way) and then chop those two slices across three times (this way you get 6 pieces from each cored section-I like my apple pieces small so adjust for your own tastes). Add the apples to the dry mix and coat them well with your hands (about 1 minute). Put the apples in a strainer and let them sit for 1 hour.

Crust:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold butter or margarine cut into pieces
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
4-6 tablespoons of ice water
In a large bowl whisk flour and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in butter and shortening till mix resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork after each addition, till dough is just moist enough to hold together. Shape dough into 2 disks, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight (if you leave it in over night let it stand for 30 minutes before rolling).
On a lightly floured surface with a flour rolling pin, roll larger disk of dough into 12-inch round. Put crust onto pie plate, pressing dough against side of plate. Trim edge, leaving about 1 inch over hang. (I also poked a few holes in the bottom of my pie crust with a fork). Spoon filling into crust.
[From here I followed the directions for a lattice pie crust from Simply Recipes.]
Roll remaining disk of dough into 12 inch round. Cut 3/4 inch circle out of center and cut 1 inch slits. Fold overhang under, make decorative edge. Bake as directed (I'd guess preheat the oven to 425 and bake for 35-40 minutes).

I also brushed some egg wash on top of the pie before I baked it. I only found out recently that the egg wash is what gives the pie that golden brown color. Its easy to make, you just whisk together an egg and a tablespoon of water, then brush the liquid onto your pie.


Overall rating out of 5:



The crust came out a bit over-done; cutting a piece doesn't go so smoothly. I baked it at 450, which is why in the recipe above I suggest a lower temperature, especially if your using a glass pie dish (like I was). I want to say I wouldn't be a huge fan of the crust anyway since the parts that were not overdone weren't especially delicious, but I feel like I wouldn't be giving the recipe a fair shot.

Of course I love the filling, its mine! Very sweet. My serving suggestion is to serve it warm with vanilla ice cream- without it its like the pie is incomplete, a totally different food. I also eat it alone, because its an experience.