Apple Pie

Apple Pie
family recipe
serves 8


Crust:
2 1/3 Cups Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Shortening
1/4 Cup Butter
1 or 2 Tablespoons Water

Filling:
About 6 Cups Apples, Peeled and Chopped.  We used 4 Granny Smith Apples and 2 Honey Crisp
1 Tablespoon Frozen Lemonade Concentrate
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Butter

For the crust:  In a medium bowl mix together flour and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening and butter.  Add water a little at a time. The dough should be pretty crumbly.  Set aside.

For the filling:  In a large bowl toss the chopped apples with the lemonade concentrate.  In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, brown sugar, corn starch, and cinnamon.  Combine sugar mixture with the apples.  Set aside.

Back to the crust:  Divide the dough into two parts, one a little bigger than the other (about 40:60 ratio).  Take the larger and roll it out on a lightly floured surface, using additional flour if needed so that it doesn't stick to the board or the rolling pin.  Carefully transfer the crust to a 10-inch pie pan.  If the dough breaks just wet your fingers with a little water and patch the crust back together.  Make sure the dough goes all the way up the sides of the pan.  Spread about a tablespoon of butter on the crust then add the apples.  Roll out the other ball of dough, same as the bottom crust and transfer carefully on top of the apples.  Cut some slits on top if yours made it all in one piece and bake it at 375 for about an hour until crust is golden brown and nice and bubbly.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

In honor of Pi Day, March 14, I thought it would be fun to have pie!  I'm visiting my parents for a few days so I suggested to my mother that we bake an apple pie since she is the resident pie expert.  Also, I don't have to do all the dishes. My mom is a serious pie baker... so are all of her sisters, my aunts.  At family gatherings we usually have about 6 different options of pie.  Minimum.  Mmmmmmm....