Awesome Apple Pie - Your Thanksgiving Dessert Saviour

Not everyone embraces pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. If you are still searching for a great pie recipe for the upcoming holiday, this one will keep your guests satisfied. This weekend we 'practiced' making our Thanksgiving dessert - homemade apple pie.

The crust is very flaky and the filling is full of the cinnamon-y scent of autumn.

I like using McIntosh apples because they cook out a bit, making a softer filling.

This pie is your Thanksgiving dessert saviour.

AWESOME APPLE PIE
Servings: 8

Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour (I use 5 Roses)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup lard (I use Tenderflake)
1/4 cup water

Filling:
6 - 8 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon butter

Sift flour and salt together in a bowl.

Remove 1/3 cup of this mixture and place it in a small bowl or cup.

Stir water into it to form a smooth paste. (I usually add the water to this small bowl of flour after I have cut in the lard, in order to keep it moist.)

Cut lard into the flour mixture in the first bowl with a pastry blender until the grain is the size of small peas. It works best when the lard is still chilled and not fully at room temperature.

Stir the flour paste into the dough. Work it with your hand until well incorporated and the dough forms a ball. It is important not to over work the dough or it will become tough.

Wrap the ball in saran wrap and chill for at least 60 minutes.

Stir sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a small bowl. Pour sugar mixture over the fruit. Toss to coat.

Roll out half of the pastry and fit into 9-inch pie plate. [I roll out my pastry between two pieces of waxed paper that is very lightly floured. This minimizes overworking and prevents it from becoming dry from over-flouring.] Prick the bottom of the pie shell and also the sides. This prevents the bottom shell from puffing up during baking.

Spoon fruit into pie crust and even out. Using approximately 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoon of very soft butter, place small dots of butter all over the top of the filling.

With warm water, wet the edge of the bottom pie shell. This will help the top crust adhere to the bottom crust, making a tighter seal.

Roll out remaining pastry and fit over top of pie. Press the top crust to the bottom on the moistened edge. If fluting the edge, trim it first. If using a fork pattern around the edge, then trim after it has been forked.

Cut vents in top for steam to escape. A large hole in the center is particularly helpful.

Bake on baking sheet in 450ºF oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350ºF. Bake for 40 minutes longer or until golden. Cover the pie with tin foil part way through if the pie is golden before completely baking.