American Apple Pie

Methods

• To make pastry dough mix 1½ cups refined flour, salt and 1 tsp sugar in a bowl. Add frozen butter cubes and rub it in with your fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 5 tbsps water and knead gently to make smooth dough. Wrap in moist muslin cloth and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
• Take apples, 2-3 tbsps refined flour, 1 tsp sugar, cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder in another bowl and mix gently so that the apple slices do not break. To prevent apple slices from turning black, pour lemon juice over them and mix gently.
• Bring out the dough from refrigerator and divide into 2 equal parts. Knead both halves lightly.
• Spread a plastic sheet on the worktop and place one portion of dough in the centre. Fold the plastic over and roll out the dough into a disc an inch bigger in diameter than the 9 inch pie mould or pie dish. Similarly roll out the second portion of the dough.
• Preheat oven to 200 ºC.
• Remove the plastic gently and place 1 disc in the pie dish. Flatten it on the base and along the edges of the mould so that excess dough sticks out. Trim the extra dough and put the pie dish in the refrigerator to set.
• Once firm, pierce it all over with a fork. Spread 1 tsp butter and then spread apple mixture evenly on the base. Sprinkle 2 tbsps of the sweet apple mixture water on top and dot with some butter.
• Place the second disc over the filling, covering it completely. Trim edges. Make a few slits in top so that the steam can escape. You may use the leftover dough trimmed from the edges to make a design on the top.
• Brush the top crust with butter before baking. Place the pie dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
• Cut into wedges and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.