-FLAKY PIE DOUGH-
1 1/4 c Bleached flour
1/4 ts Salt
1/8 ts Baking powder
1/2 c Cold unsalted butter
2 tb Cold water (2 to 3 Tbsp)
CRUMB TOPPING
1/3 c Light brown sugar, packed
1 c Bleached flour
6 tb Unsalted butter, melted
FILLING
2 1/2 lb Firm tart apples
– (Granny Smith, Pippin,
– Golden Delicious, Rhode
– Island, Northern Spy,
– as available)
2 tb Flour
1/3 c Granulated sugar, light
– brown sugar or combinatio
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1 ts Finely grated lemon zest
– (yellow peel only)
3 tb Cold unsalted butter
FLAKY PIE DOUGH: Combine flour, salt and baking powder in work bowl
of food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times to mix. Cut butter into 8
pieces and add to bowl. Pulse rapidly about 15 times, until mixture
resembles coarse cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain
visable. Add 2 tablespoons water and pulse 4 or 5 times to mix
checking to see if most, but not all, of dough forms a ball. If dough
remains dry, add remaining 1 tablespoon water, sprinkling it on dough
and pulsing again 4 or 5 times. Remove dough from processor and
quickly form into ball with floured hands. Place dough on piece of
lightly floured plastic wrap. Lightly flour top of dough and cover
top with plastic wrap. Press with palm of hand to form dough into a
6-inch diameter disk. Refrigerate dough while preparing topping.
CRUMB TOPPING: Combine brown sugar and flour in mixing bowl. Add
butter and stir in evenly. Set mixture aside 5 minutes. Then, using
fingertips, break mixture into 1/4- to 1/2-inch crumbs. Set aside.
DOUGH PREPARATION: Remove dough from refrigerator and place on flat
work surface. Roll dough, still between sheets of plastic, to 12-inch
disk. Peel off top plastic and ease dough into 9-inch pie pan. Gently
press dough into pan and peel off top plastic. Trim excess dough to
within 1/2-inch of pan edge, turning excess dough under around edges;
flute edges. Chill pie shell while preparing Filling. FILLING: Peel,
halve and core apples; cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place apples in bowl
with sugar, flour, cinnamon and lemon zest, tossing well to combine.
Place filling in dough-lined pan, mounding it slightly in center.
Dot filling with butter and cover with reserved Crumb Topping. Bake
pie on bottom rack 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Lower temperature to
350 degrees and move pie to middle rack. Bake 20 to 30 minutes
longer, until crust edges are deep golden brown and juices just begin
to bubble up. Cool pie on rack and serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 8 servings.
Yields
8 Servings