Mr. Apple’s Favorite Dutch Apple Pie

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

8 cups sliced cored peeled apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap, and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry flakier. If refrigerated longer, let the pastry soften slightly before rolling.

Heat oven to 400°F. On surface sprinkled with flour, using a floured rolling pin, roll pastry dough into circle 2 inches larger than a 9-inch pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into the plate, pressing firmly against the bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.

In a large bowl, toss Filling ingredients. Pour into pie plate, mounding apples toward the center.

In a medium bowl, use a pastry blender or fingers to mix butter, 1 cup flour, and brown sugar until a crumb forms. Sprinkle evenly over top of the pie. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar on top.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until pie crust and crumb topping are deep golden brown and filling begins to bubble. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.