You'll need 5 large, or 8 small cooking apples for this pie. I went for the largest, firmest apples I could find. Granny Smith is also an excellent choice for pies.Be sure to slice the apples thinly. Since the apples aren't pre-cooked at all, this is important so they cook down well inside the pie.
5cupsthinly sliced peeled applesabout 5 large or 8 small apples
1tablespoonunsalted butter
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Pie Crust
In a food processor combine the flour, salt, and sugar; pulse several times to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces remaining.
Remove the lid and sprinkle 2 tablespoons ice water over the mixture. Re-attach lid and pulse until the dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if needed, add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water, a little at a time).
Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide in two equal pieces. Form each piece of dough into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Unwrap dough; place on a floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to a 14-inch round. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate.
Trim overhang to 1 inch; fold overhang under itself. Re-roll the scraps into one long piece and cut into three even strands (use some of the reserved pie dough if you don’t have enough scrap dough); braid the strands together. Brush the edge of the fitted pie crust with water and lay the braid on top of the damp edge. Press gently to adhere. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Filling
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Stir together the sugar, flour, apple pie spice, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the sliced apples and toss to coat. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and dot with butter. Return to the refrigerator.
Remove the second pie crust from the refrigerator and roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a small cookie cutter (1 1/2 to 2-inch) cut as many shapes as you can from the dough. Re-roll crust and cut out more shapes; repeat until all the dough is used. Remove the pie from the refrigerator and layer the shapes on top of the pie starting at the outer edge and working inward. Using a pastry brush, lightly cover the entire crust with egg wash.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Tent the entire pie with aluminum foil.
Reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the apples are soft. You can check this by poking a skewer through one of the vent holes. There should be little to no resistance when pierced.
Remove from the oven and remove foil. Let cool about 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. When pie is completely cool, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Bring slices to room temperature, or re-warm in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving.
Notes
If you find the edge of the pie crust is becoming too brown, cover it gently with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield.
Keyword all butter pie filling, cinnamon, granny smith apples