Instructions

Make the dough

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour (260 gm.) and the salt. Place each tablespoon of shortening in a different place on top of flour. Use a pastry blender or two forks to lightly and quickly blend the shortening into flour mixture to form crumbs the size of peas.
2. Slowly distribute the cold water over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until dough just comes together.
3. Sprinkle a clean, flat countertop with ½ cup (65 gm.) of flour. Turn out the dough from the bowl onto the floured surface. With light fingertips, quickly knead the dough about 15 strokes, just until smooth.
4. Gather dough into a loaf and divide into two equal size balls. Flatten each ball into a thick circle and wrap well in plastic wrap. Chill dough in the refrigerator for about an hour or up to three days. *Ann does not chill her pie dough, but I find I have better results when the pie dough is just slightly cold.
5. Roll out dough: Sprinkle a flat countertop with ½ cup (130 gm.) flour. Place the dough on the floured surface. (If dough circle is too cold, leave it out on the counter for a while until it is cool enough to roll out.) Turn dough over so both sides are dusted with flour. With a rolling pin, lightly roll out dough from the center to the edges with even strokes. Lift the dough a few times so that it doesn’t stick to the surface. The shape should be about an inch larger than your pie plate and about 1/8 – ¼ inch thick.
6. Fold the dough in half, then in half again and lift it into the pie plate. Carefully unfold the dough and ease it gently into the pie plate. Be careful not to stretch the dough. Press dough onto the pie plate rim and trim any overhanging sections with a sharp knife.
7. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Prepare apples

1. Peel, core and thinly slice apples.
2. In a large bowl, gently combine apples with sugar and flour and if desired, cinnamon and salt.
3. Load apples into the piecrust so that apples are slightly mounded in the center and dot with butter, if desired.
4. Roll out the second piecrust and place over the filling. Use a sharp knife to trim off excess, leaving about a 1- inch border of crust around the top of the pie plate. For a scalloped ridge, lift the rim of the crust a section at a time so that it sticks straight up, then fold it back towards the outside of the pan and pinch the crust into itself. For a fork design, use the tines of a fork as shown above to make a pleated edge.
5. Use a sharp knife to cut leaf shaped “vents” or straight lines in the top crust.

Bake the pie

1. Place pie in oven and bake until filling is bubbly, an hour or more.