Fall is apple pickin’ season!  I love heading to the fruit stands this time of year because they are filled with such a large variety of apples.  Everything from Pink Ladies to Fujis to Honeycrisps…they’re all so tasty!  It makes selecting apples for pie that much more difficult…but somehow, I managed…!  I tried new recipes for both filling AND crust this season.  I hope you enjoy both!

Ingredients

All-Butter Nutty Double Crust:

• 4 T + 12 T chilled unsalted butter
• 1 c untoasted nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans), chopped & frozen
• 3/4 c + 1 c flour
• 2 T sugar
• 2-1/2 T lemon zest, grated or finely chopped
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 c + 1/4 c ice water

Grate 4 T butter on large holes of box grater & place in freezer.  Cut 12 T butter into 1/2″ cubes & place in refrigerator.  

Process 3/4 c flour, nuts, sugar, zest & salt in food processor until nuts are finely ground, about 30 sec.  Add cubed butter & process until homogeneous paste forms, 40-50 sec.  Using your hands, carefully break paste into 2″ chunks & redistribute evenly around processor blade.  

Add remaining 1 c flour & pulse until mixture is broken into pieces no larger than 1″, 4-5 pulses.  Transfer mixture to a bowl.  Add grated butter & toss until butter pieces are separated & coated with flour.

Sprinkle 1/4 c ice water over mixture.  Toss with rubber spatula until mixture is evenly moistened.  Sprinkle another 1/4 c ice water over mixture & toss to combine.  Press dough with spatula until dough sticks together. 

Using spatula, divide dough into 2 equal portions.  Transfer each portion to sheet of plastic wrap.  Press dough into compact, flattened 5″ disc.  Put disc in Ziploc bag & repeat with other 1/2 of dough.  Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hrs or up to 2 days.  Let chilled dough sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 min, before rolling.   

Filling:

• 3/4 c sugar
• 2 T flour
• 1 t lemon zest, grated or finely chopped
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t ginger
• 1/4 t cloves
• 1/8 t allspice
• 1-1/2 T lemon juice
• 3 lbs mix of apples (I used Granny Smiths, Pink Ladies, Galas), cored, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 3 T crystalized ginger, chopped
• 1 T butter

Precook filling by melting butter in deep saucepan.  Add apples, sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice & crystalized ginger & stir to combine.  Cook, stirring occasionally, 5-7 min to soften apples.  Add flour & cook an additional 3-5 min to thicken juices.  Off heat add lemon zest & juice, stirring to combine.  Spread mixture onto baking sheet & cook completely.  

To make the pie:

Place baking sheet on rack in lower 1/3 of oven & preheat oven (and baking sheet) to 425 deg.  

Roll out dough for top & bottom crusts keeping each half chilled while working with the other half.  Place bottom crust in pie pan.  Trim crust edge to overhang by 1″.  Put cooled apple filling into crust & evenly distribute apples.  Add top crust over apples & trim edge to just beyond edge of bottom crust.  Fold top crust under bottom crust & decoratively pinch to seal.  

Using sharp knife, make 8 evenly spaced slits in top crust to let steam escape.  (Note – Those 8 slits also serve as a guide for cutting even pieces!) 

Bake on baking sheet for 25 min.  Lower oven temp to 375 deg & bake 30-35 min more.  

Cool completely on rack.  Enjoy as is or with vanilla ice cream!