Canadian Thanksgiving Apple Pie

Our Canadian Thanksgiving feast was small and simple. Spinach and cheese lasagne and apple pie. I thought I'd take a break from pumpkin pie this year or maybe make it for American Thanksgiving. I used three different types of apples- granny smith, golden delicious, and fuji. The granny smith gave the pie a tartness. The golden delicious melted in your mouth. The fuji was sweet and crunchy. All together I thought they made a great blend. I've also heard honey crisp apples and cortlands are wonderful too. Stay away from the red delicious or you will have a mushy pie. If you do use golden delicious I would only add a little so your pie isn't too soft. For the fat you can use butter, shortening, lard or a combination. I used half butter and half shortening. The butter adds wonderful flavor but makes a dough that's tougher. The shortening makes the dough easier to work with and the crust flaky. My crust came out very flaky and tasty but the dough kept breaking when I made the lattice. I think I needed to add a little bit more water to the dough. Do not add too much or it will become tough.

Apple Pie
Recipe adapted from the Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America Cookbook

Double Pie Crust Recipe

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour plus extra for dusting

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup frozen unsalted butter (113 g)

1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening 

1/2 cup ice water, as needed

1. Stir flour and salt together. Grate the frozen unsalted butter into the flour. Cut the shortening in with a pastry cutter or two knives.

2. Sprinkle water a few Tbsp. at a time onto the flour and rub it in just until it holds together into a ball. It should be moist but not wet. Press dough into a ball on lightly floured work surface.

3. Divide into two balls (one slightly larger than the other) and pat into disk shapes. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes.

4. Unwrap smaller dough. Sprinkle a little flour on top. Roll out on floured surface with a rolling pin to the thickness of a tortilla 1/8 in thick. Fold into quarters and place in 9 inch pie plate. Unfold and press gently into sides and bottom. Trim overhang to 1 inch.

5. After the filling is prepared, uunwrap larger dough. Sprinkle a little flour on top. Roll out on floured surface with a rolling pin. Cut vents in dough using little shape cutters or use a ravioli wheel to cut into 14  1/2" wide strips if making a lattice top.

Apple Pie Filling

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (I lessened it a bit)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

6- 7 medium apples, cored and thinly sliced (about 7 cups) I used 1 large fuji, 3 medium golden delicious and 2 medium granny smiths

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced

egg wash (1 large egg whisked with 2 Tbsp. water)

1. Mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Toss apples with lemon juice in a large bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture on apples and toss to coat the slices. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (if using a glass pie plate, lessen heat by 25 F)

2. Scoop apples into the dough lined pan and make a mound where it's higher in the center. Dot the top with small pieces of butter. Brush the rim with egg wash. Prepare the top pie dough. Transfer the dough onto the apples and crimp the sides to seal. If using a lattice, lay the strips in a weave pattern. Brush with egg wash.

3. Place the pie on a baking sheet. This is so the drips do not cause a fire in your oven. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F then turn the heat down to 350 degrees F. Bake for 40-45 minutes rotating if necessary for even browning. Test apples with a fork. It is ready when apples are tender. Remove and cool on wire rack for 20 minutes so the filling thickens.