Recipe for pastry crust and apple pie filling

Just in case any of my blog followers are interested in making the apple pie and pastry crust for Thanksgiving that I have been jabbering about since learning how to make it in class, I thought I would post the recipe and methods on how it is made.  It is actually quite simple and very DELISH!!!  I will be adding this pie to my own Thanksgiving menu...... just because it is that good!

Pate Brisee (pastry crust)
10-1/2 oz all purpose flour
7 oz butter, cubed and cold
1 tsp salt (table salt, not kosher)
1 tbsp milk, cold
1 egg

In mixer (stand-up mixer) with paddle attachment, combine flour and butter and mix on low (speed 2) until the butter resembles small breadcrumbs.... this process takes about 5 minutes..... but do not over mix which would heat and soften the butter too much.  Add salt, milk, and egg (beat the milk with the egg slightly before adding to mixture), and mix until dough forms a ball.  Stressing again..... DO NOT OVER MIX!

Remove dough from mixer and quickly shape into a ball and place between two un-floured sheets of parchment paper.  Roll out dough inside the parchment paper to 1/8" thickness..... lifting parchment paper when necessary to smooth out wrinkles.  Place rolled out dough in the parchment paper in refrigerator until chilled.

Remove dough from refrigerator and carefully lift off parchment paper on both sides of dough.  Let dough warm to room temperature slightly (about 5 min).  Place dough inside pie pan, reserving extra dough for making lattice top on top of pie filling.

Apple Pie Filling
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
3 McIntosh apples, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8th tsp nutmeg
dash ground cloves
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar (to be mixed with nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon)
1/2 cup sugar  (to be mixed with cornstarch to prevent lumping)
3 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2/3 cup water
1 tbsp butter
egg wash -  1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water

Toss apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.  Mix spices and first measurement of sugar to distribute ingredients evenly.  Toss sugar-spice mixture with apple mixture.

Mix together 2nd sugar measurement and cornstarch to prevent lumping.  Add 1/2 of water to sugar-cornstarch mixture to make a slurry.  In a saucepan, stir together the sugar-cornstarch slurry, butter, and remaining water, cook over low heat until it thickens to a gloppy goo and is well mixed.  Stir continuously, scraping sides and bottom of pan often.  Remove from heat once it is at the gloppy gooey stage.  The mixture should seriously glop off the spoon into the pan when a spoonful of mixture is held over the pan.

Add apple mixture and stir well until all is combined and warmed.  Let cool briefly (5 minutes).  Fill pie shell with the apple mixture and top with lattice dough work.  Lightly brush egg wash over dough lattice and top with a sprinkle of sugar.  Bake in preheated 400 degree oven until crust is golden brown, apples are tender when pierced with a fork and filling is thick and set.  Baking time is about 30 minutes.

Let pie set and cool for several minutes before serving.  Can be served warm or cold.  ENJOY!!!!

Next week we are learning how to make Lemon pie, Pate Sucree (sweet pie crust) and Italian Meringue!!!  Stay blogged in for future recipes, techniques and methods!