Best Ever Apple Pie

I baked an apple pie on Saturday, the first of the fall season. I've had this recipe for at least 20 years and it never fails to live up to its name. I forgot to drizzle the glaze on top of the streusel after this pie cooled; maybe my forgetfulness was due to the fact that just after I popped this pie into the oven I knocked over a just opened five pound bag of flour! Yes, it's true... I got a little busy after that cleaning up from the impromptu "blizzard"!  Anyway, back to the pie... it tasted wonderful even without the drizzle (although I do recommend that!) topping. I have always made my pastry crust according to the recipe; my daughter buys her pie crusts in the dairy case and claims that she can't tell the difference, so that's an option too. If you want to indulge your senses in a true fall experience, here you go (if you're not feeling all that ambitious you can skip the flour dumping, the pie will be just as good without the added activity):

Best Ever Apple Pie

Pastry:

2 C. + 2 TBSP flour

1 TBSP granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C shortening

3 TBSP + 1 tsp water

Pie filling:

6 Granny Smith apples

3/4 C packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Streusel topping:

1 C flour

1/3 C granulated sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C butter (NOT margarine)

Glaze:

1 TBSP XXXX sugar

1 tsp water

For pastry: mix together 2 C flour, sugar and salt.  Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Gently stir in 3 TBSP water.  Form into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap and refrigerate larger ball.  Roll out smaller ball into an 11" circle on floured waxed paper. Invert into pie plate, remove paper, and refrigerate while preparing filling and streusel topping.

Prepare streusel topping: mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Cut in butter, rub between fingers to blend well.  Set aside.

Peel, core and chop apples. In large bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon and remaining 2 TBSP of flour with apples and mix well.  Transfer to pie plate lined with w/ pastry, slightly mound apples in center.

Heat oven to 375F.  Place foil over lower oven rack.  Roll remaining pastry ball into a 12" circle on floured waxed paper and invert onto apples, seal and trim edges of crust.  Make slits in the top for steam, approximately 8 - 1" slits.  Brush pastry with w/ milk and pat crumb topping onto top of pastry. Bake for 30 minutes; reduce heat to 350F, loosely cover pie w/ foil and make for an additional 40 minutes.

Cool on rack for at least 40 minutes. Combine XXXX sugar w/ 1 tsp. water and drizzle over baked, cooled, pie.

Life is Good!

...and oh, so delicious...