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.
From
Yields
8 Servings