The apartment is freezing! Lets make pie

Well, it's that time of year again folks.  Yep, time for Chelsea to start complaining about the ungodly temperature of her living space.  Imagine you've taken up residence in a snow globe in Siberia.  In the middle of winter.  In a wind storm.  That is what my apartment is like.  Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit.  But in all seriousness, I am sitting at the computer next to my CLOSED window, and yet I can still feel the chilly autumn breeze....strange. I digress.

It is this time of year I like to use my oven.  Both to raise the temperature of this ice hole, and to bake delicious yummy treats.  I promised my girlfriend I would bring something tasty to her rock band party last night, and since I seem to have an endless supply of apples, apple pies seemed appropriate.  Over the years I have tried many a apple pie recipe.  I think the simple, straight forward ones are the best.  And while lattice tops are absolutely gorgeous, they take a lot of effort and in my experience usually end up caving in.  So I put a shell on top of this one and it turned out to be pretty pleasing, both aesthetically and otherwise.  So turn on the oven, get the apartment nice and cozy warm and enjoy a piece of pie (I'm enjoying one right now).

I'm also including a pie crust recipe, but really, you should just buy one.  Trust me.

Pie Crust Recipe

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup water
• 
  

In a large bowl combine flour and salt.  Cut in shortening until mix resemble coarse crumbs.  Stir in water until it forms a ball.  Divide dough in half and shape into balls.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.  Roll out dough on a floured counter.  Don’t over work it.  Use as directed in a pie recipe.

Apple Pie
serves 8
*you are gonna mix the filling up and say "wow, this is a whole lotta apples for one little pie" in those exact words.    However, don't be dismayed.  It shrinks down considerably while cooking. You want a mountain of apples.  They turn into a mole hill.  Also, I used an entire tablespoon of lemon juice and the lemon flavor is very pronounced.  So in the recipe I scaled it back a bit, you may want to scale back even more if you don't like a lemony flavor in your pie (I do).

7 medium cooking apples (about 3 1/2 pounds)
2 teaspoons lemon juice and zest from 1 lemon
3/4 cup plus 1 tbs sugar
2 tbs all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
pinch of ground cloves
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 recipes pie crust

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat rimmed baking sheet and oven to 500 degrees.

Roll out dough and place in pie 9 1/2 inch pie plate.  Leave dough so that it overhangs lip of plate; refrigerate while mixing filling.

Peel, core and cut apples in half, and in half again width-wise; cut quarters into 1/4 inch slices and toss with lemon juice and zest.  In a medium bowl, mix 3/4 cup sugar, flour, salt and spices.  Toss dry ingredients with apples.

Dump fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in the middle.  Roll out second piece of dough and place over the top of the pie.  Press top layer in to bottom overhanging layer and tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip.  Press edges with fork tines to seal.  Cut four slits on dough top.  Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining sugar.

Place pie on baking sheet and lower oven temperature to 425 degrees.  Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes.  Rotate pie and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Continue baking until juices bubble and crust is a deep golden brown, 35 minutes longer.

Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.