Apple pie

Apple pie recipe from my mom. This particular write-up is a compilation of several different recipes and techniques, and has not been vetted so be careful.

The recipe was adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe and a Joy of cooking (or maybe Betty Crocker) recipe, seen below.

Apple pie recipe (makes 8-inch pie)

Pastry for 8-inch two-crust pie

5 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples

1/3 cup sugar (this is less than the original recipe recommends)

1/4 cup flour (the original recipe calls for 3 Tbs but juicy apples need more) or 2 Tbs tapioca starch

1/4 to 1/2 tsp cinnamon

dash salt

1 Tbs butter

1. Shrink apples by gently heating them in a Dutch oven (recommended) or thick-bottomed pan.  Then let them cool.
2. Preheat oven to 425° (or a lower temperature, if you prefer. 350° or 375° are probably fine too). 
3. The next step is tricky because now you have to mix together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt AND then add that mixture to the apples.  It will be messy because the apples are juicy.  You can drain the juice but that seems like waste of good apple juice. 
4. Roll the pastry and line the pie pan.  Put the filling in the pastry-line pan.  Dot with the butter.  Cover with the top crust.  Seal and flute edges.  Brush the top with milk or water and sprinkle with a generous amount of sugar.  Cut some vents.  Place the pie on parchment on a tray (to catch drips).
5. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until the crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in the crust.  You may prefer to start the pie at the high temperature (425°) and reduce the heat (I’m assuming to 375° or so) after about 15 minutes.  If the crust is nicely brown but the pie isn’t done, make a tent with foil.

Substitutions

Use different apples, depending on taste. It is usually recommended to use a combination of sweet (Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Braeburn) and tart (Granny Smith, Empire, Cortland) apples.

Use tapioca starch instead of wheat flour. A smaller amount (1 1/2 tsp for every Tbs of flour called for) gels just as well, and doesn’t risk imparting a chalky texture.