homemade apple pie

My parents came up to visit and we went to an orchard and wine tasting at a nearby vineyard. It was just turning into fall...the perfect time for apples and wine. I decided to try to bake my mom's famous apple pie...by myself. Thanks to mom and dad, I had the help of an apple peeler and rolling pin to make the experience go smoothly. It turned out pretty good...although my mom's will always taste better. Why is that? :) Here is the breakdown of the apple pie making via photos...and a few from our winery visit...


For the crust...my Nana's recipe:
1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup butter or lard

1/2 tsp. salt

In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt.  Add (butter or lard and mix together (if you have a pastry blender use that, otherwise just use your hands) until the pieces are pea-size. 

Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of the water over part of the flour miexture, gently toss with a fork.  Push moistened dough to side of bowl.  Repeat, using 1 Tablspoon water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened.  Divide in half; form each half into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten one dough ball.  Roll doughfrom center to edges into a circle 12 inches in diameter.  (I usually roll out partially and then flip it over once and roll out the rest.) 

To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin, unroll into a 9-inch pie plate.  Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it.  Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate.  Fill with pie filling.

Roll remaining doughball into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.  Cut slits to allow steam to escape.  Place pastry on filling; trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate.  fold top pastry under bottom pastry.  Use fork (dipped in flour to prevent it from sticking) to crimp the edges.   

For the pie filling....

For 9" Pie

3/4 to 1 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon or nutmet

6 to 7 cups sliced pared apples

1/ 1/ Tbsp. butter (or butter substitute such as Smart Balance)

Heat oven 375 degrees.  Peel apples, core and slice.  Mix sugar and cinnamon - then add to apples and mix lightly.  Heap up in pastry-lined pie  pan.  Dot with butter.  Cover with top crust which has slits cut in it.  Seal and crimp.  Bake 50 to 60 min. or until crust is   nicely browned and apples are cooked through (usually are bubbly).