Classic Apple Pie

My dear friend Jennifer gave me a wonderful cookbook for my birthday this year. Best Recipe from a test kitchen. They take the most popular recipes and test all the different variations. I will say this was very well balanced for texture, apple flavor, and seasoning.

Ingredients 

Pie crust (recipe at bottom)
2 tbl flour plus more for dusting the work surface
3 large Granny Smith Apples (about 1 1/2 lbs, for tartness and crisp texture)
4 large McIntosh Apples (about 2 lbs, for sweetness and soft texture)
1 tbl juice and 1 tsp grated zest from 1 lemon
3/4 cup plus 1 tbl sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg white, beaten slightly with a dash of water

Directions:

Lower oven rack, heat to to 500 deg

Roll half the dough on a lightly floured work surface with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper on top. Roll into a 12 in circle, using your flattened hand to make sure of even thickness all around. 

Roll the dough around your rolling pin and then unroll it onto your pie plate, easing it into the corners and leaving excess. Place in refrigerator. Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/4 inch slices and toss with lemon juice and zest. In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (reserve 1 tbl sugar), then toss with apples. Empty bowl into chilled pie shell, mounding in center.
Roll out the remaining half of crust and place on top by following previous steps.
Trim edges of crust to 1/2 inch all the way around, tuck the top layer over the bottom and into the pan, flute edges with fingertips. 

Cut 4 slits on top of pie with a knife. If dough is very soft, place in the freezer for 10 min. Brush the egg white on the top crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining sugar. 

 Place pie on a baking sheet and lower oven temp to 425. Bake the pie until the crust is golden, about 25 min. Rotate the pie, reduce oven temp to 375, continue baking until the juices bubble and the crust is a deep golden brown, 30-35 min longer. 

Cool to room temp, at least 4 hours to let juices set up. 

Serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream! Mine is Breyers.

Pie Crust:
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
1 tsp salt
2 tbl sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
12 tbl (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
6-8 tbl ice water

Mix flour, salt and sugar until combined. Add shortening and butter, cutting in with a pastry blender, a food processor, or two knives. Do this until it resembles coarse crumbs, the size of small peas. In a medium bowl, sprinkle 6 tbl of water mix with clean hands by scraping the edges and folding in on itself. If too crumbly, add remaining water. Do this until well mixed. Divide in half, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.