Old Fashioned Apple Pie

This is the one dessert where the Americans have the French beat, hands down. A "tarte aux pommes" can't even be compared to an old-fashioned Apple Pie!

My mom's grandmother made these pretty much every day of her life, and my mom said that this apple pie tasted just like her grandmother's apple pies.

This pie was very easy to make--you just peel the apples, slice them, toss them in flour, spices, and sugar, and put them in the pie shell. The magic happens in the oven. The apples and pie crust transform into the familiar taste of an apple pie :)

Pie crusts: If you don't want to make a pie crust from scratch, you can buy sheets of pie dough at the grocery store. You'll need this instead of the pre-made pie shell because an apple pie needs two layers of crust--one for the bottom and one on top.

Once you figure out the pie crust situation, it really is just a matter of peeling apples, slicing them, tossing the ingredients together in a bowl, putting it in the pie dough, sealing the second piece of pie dough on top, and baking it.

Recipe- Apple Pie
Pie Crust
2 c. all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. vegetable shortening, room temperature
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Apple Filling
5 large apples (variety)
3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pie Crust:
1. Combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut shortening into flour until it is in pea-sized clumps.
2. Beat the egg, water, and vinegar together. Pour the liquid over the flour mixture.
3. Stir with a fork until the mixture is moistened. Divide the dough in half and shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes.
4. Remove dough from refrigerator. Dust the rolling pin and the counter with flour, and roll the dough into a circle that is slightly larger than your pie pan. Place the dough into the circle, and press down in the pan.
If using store bought pie dough, start here. Repeat Step 4 with your dough.
5. Preheat oven to 400 F.
6. Peel, core, and slice apples, about 16 wedges per apple.
7. Mix apples with sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Place the apples in the pie shell.
8. Roll out the second pie crust and place it on top, and press down the edges with the first pie shell, sealing it.
9. Cut a hole at the top of the pie, and make about 4 1-inch slits. Place the pie in the freezer for 30 minutes.
10. Bake it on a cookie sheet for about 40 minutes (until the apples are tender and the juice is running).
11. Let chill for about one hour on a wire rack.