Classic American Pie Recipes

CLASSIC APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Peel and core the apples; slice 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the granulated sugar and lemon juice. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, cinnamon and salt and stir until the juices thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. (The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
• Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Add the cooled filling and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
• Roll out the remaining disk of dough into a 12-inch round. Lay the dough over the filling and press the two crusts together around the edges. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp with your fingers. Brush the top crust with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cut a few slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Chill 1 hour.
• Put a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack and preheat to 425 degrees F for at least 30 minutes. Put the pie directly on the hot baking sheet and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F; bake until the pie is golden and the filling is bubbly, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes, rotating the pie as needed. (Cover the edges with foil if they are browning too quickly.) Transfer to a rack and let cool until the filling is set, about 3 hours.
• Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, vinegar and salt in a food processor until it looks like fine meal. Add the butter and pulse until it is in pea-size pieces. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 4 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse again.
• Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pat each into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or preferably overnight, or freeze up to 2 months.

AMERICAN APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray deep dish pie plate with cooking spray
• Combine white sugar, light brown sugar, flour, lemon, cinnamon, and mix well. Add apples and raisins to sugar mixture; stir until fruit is well coated.
• Spoon apple mixture into pie crust. Place second piecrust on top of filling, and trim edges. Lightly glaze top of pie with a beaten egg, then sprinkled with a little sugar.
• Bake till golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Place on a wire rack, and cool 30 minutes.

CLASSIC PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle., For a single crust, roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9- or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shell according to recipe directions. , For a double crust, divide dough in two portions so one ball is slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry even with edge of plate. Add filling. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions.

CLASSIC AMERICAN PIE

Steps:

• Make crust:.
• combine flour, sugar, salt, lemon peel in large bowl.
• mix butter with your hands until consisstency of coarse crumbs.
• stir in 2 tbs cold water with rubber spatula. pat into ball--add water until ball holds together.
• divide dough into two balls, one slightly larger.
• wrap in wax paper and refrigerate about 1hr.
• roll larger ball between two sheets of wax paper until 1/4 in thick.
• fit dough into 9in glass pie plate. refrigerate.
• roll second ball between two sheets of waxed paper into a 12in round.
• Position rack on lower third of oven and preheat to 425.
• Make filling:.
• In large bowl, add apples, sugars, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt. mix well.
• let stand for 15min, stirring often.
• pour apple mixture into bottom crust.
• dot top with very small pieces of butter.
• brush overhanging edge of bottom crust with cold water.
• cover with top crust and seal edges.
• trim ends and flute edge.
• cut steam vents in top crust.
• place pie on cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes.
• reduce temperature to 350 and bake until juices begin to bubble through steam vents 30-40 minutes more.
• let cool at least 1 hr.