Tree to Pie Plate - DIG IT! Magazine

Just-picked Macintosh apples, such as those from Pochuck Valley Farms in Glenwood, NJ, make a great, long-awaited deep dish apple pie. Paired with Julia Childs’ pate brisee and an ancient Betty Crocker’s Picture Book pie filling, it’s heaven. Unlike most recipe reviewers online, I followed Julia's recipe to a T but added two fresh spices to Betty's recipe and the result is melt-in-your-mouth perfect.

Oven: 425°for 50 to 60 minutes.

Julian Childs’ Pate Brisee for 9.5” deep dish double crust pie with leftovers for cookies

4 cups flour
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter cut into ½-inch bits
6 tbsp veg shortening
10-12 tsp very cold water
1 tsp salt
4 pinches sugar

You can make the dough a day ahead.
Put the bowl and water in the freezer to get icy cold. Use only your fingertips to mix the dough. Not your palms! (They are too warm and will melt the butter and shortening.)

Make the dough
Put it all in a big bowl – except for water – and crumble with fingertips till it looks like oatmeal.
Sprinkle some water and mix with cupped fingertips but no palms.
Add water one tablespoon at a time dough just holds together and is pliable but not damp or sticky. Form into a ball.
Place dough on lightly floured board.
With heel – not palm – of your hand, blend dough as you flatten and push it from the center in all directions.
Form into ball, sprinkle with flour, wrap in wax paper or just cover the bowl while you make the apples.

Roll the dough
Roll it fast so butter doesn’t melt and make the crust shrink from sides of pie plate.
If dough is too hard, get your aggressions out by beating it with a rolling pin to soften.
Divide in half.
Lightly flour top of dough.
Knead into fairly flat circle.
Roll out in all directions from center.
Lift, turn, roll the dough. Sprinkle with flour as needed.
Roll 1/8 inch thick. Fold in half. Place on pie plate and unfold top half.
Good luck.

Apple Filling for deep dish 9.5” pie – Old-time Betty Crocker

** I add fresh grated nutmeg and 1.5 inch piece of fresh ginger root chopped fine. I highly recommend it.

Mix together:
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
7 cups sliced apples

Put filling in shell. Pile them highest in center. Don’t worry. Apples will shrink a bit.
Dot with 1.5 tbsp butter.
Cover. Put slits in center of top crust to let out steam.

Place in middle of pre-heated 425°oven for 50-60 minutes. Place a cookie pan on shelf below to catch any drippings. Bake till nicely browned and apples are cooked. Test with fork. If edges of crust get too brown, cover them with aluminum foil.

Done!