Deep Dish Apple Pie

By Jeny Kroah

Adapted from Bon Appetit 1996 Recipe

Crust:

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup chilled vegetable shortening, cut into ½ inch pieces

¾ stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

6 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup to 2/3 cup iced water

Filling:

2 pounds Gala or Braeburn apples, peeled, cored, ¼-inch sliced

2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, ¼-inch sliced

2/3 cup raisins (optional)

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon nutmeg

3 tablespoons butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

Glaze:

1 egg, beaten to blend with 1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons raw sugar

Special Equipment:

Food processor or pastry blender

For crust:

Using a food processor, pulse flour and salt. Add shortening and butter and blend in using several on/off turns; or mix if using pastry blender or 2 butter knives. Add cheese and blend in until shortening and butter form coarse crumbs. With machine running, slowly blend in enough water until soft moist clumps form. Do not overwater. Gather dough into ball then flatten into a disk. Wrap disk in plastic and chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

For filling:

Mix apples, raisins, brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, lemon juice and spices in large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes at room

temperature.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand 15 minutes. Spoon filling and any accumulated juices into 13x9-inch oval baking dish. Dot fruit with 3 tablespoons butter.

Roll out dough on floured surface to oval about 1/2 inch larger than baking dish. Fold in 1/2 inch of edge to form doublethick border; crimp. Cut out 1-inch-wide hole from center of crust. Using tart pan bottom as aid, lift dough and place atop fruit. Tuck in dough around edges. Make a few decorative slits at the center of the crust.

Bake pie 15 minutes. Brush crust with egg glaze. Top with 2 teaspoons sugar. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake pastry

until golden, about 35 minutes. Cool on rack 15 minutes. Serve warm preferably with vanilla bean ice cream.

Serves 8.