Pie Week Begins - With Apple

Pies were made long before the first colonists stepped onto America's shores; we brought our love for meat, veggies and crust with us from our English, Irish and Scottish forebears, as well as many other countries.

It's no wonder then that pie has become a favorite of many holiday tables, including mine. One favorite I grew up with is often considered the king of fruit pies: apple. Our Michigan pies bulged with slices of Macintosh fruit. (Or Granny Smiths or Winesaps, if you liked your pie tart.) Try this recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour, and your apple pie will mirror a long line of tradition.

TRADITIONAL APPLE PIE

Crust

• 2 1/2 cups Perfect Pastry Blend or King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
• 7 to 10 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 8 cups sliced apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 cup boiled cider or undiluted apple juice concentrate                                                          (I'd delete this - makes it a bit too juicy)
• 2 tablespoons butter, diced in small pieces

  Take a look here for step-by-step instructions, plus photos, to walk you through to your perfect pie. 

Editor's Note: We'll be featuring different pie recipes for the next week, including pork pies, chocolate cream, Key lime and that prince of the south, pecan! (Pronounced "pay-kan," according to the Brick, whose North Carolina roots come out strong this time of year.) Be sure to visit regularly, and see what's up...