Granny Smith Apple Pie

A couple of months before my wedding I was on a hunt for an apple pie recipe that used Granny Smith apples. The reason for this was because the centerpieces at our wedding were vases filled with Granny Smith apples. I wasn't sure how our guests would take to winning a centerpiece of apples instead of the traditional flowers so I thought it would be nice to give the winner a recipe for apple pie to go along with it. After having the first bite of this pie I knew I found a keeper and a few months after our wedding I had several people tell me that they made the pie and really enjoyed it as well. It was such a great feeling knowing that people actually made our pie and LOVED it.

Oh, and one other thing that I wanted to mention - if you are like me and have never really been a big fan of crust, please don't let that stop you from trying this. The sugar concoction you pour over the crust makes it so yummy. It is definitely worth making at least once.

Granny Smith Apple Pie Recipe:

1 pastry recipe for a 9 or 10-inch double crust pie
½ cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup water
½ cup white sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
6-8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1) Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
2) Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3) Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 35-45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Tip: Place a sheet of foil on the lower rack in oven to catch the drippings.

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour | Other time: 30 minutes for Pie Crust | Total time: 2 hours | Yield: 8 servings

Double Crust Pie Recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup shortening, butter flavored
6-8 tablespoons cold water

1) In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half so one ball is slightly larger than the other.
2) Roll out the larger ball to fit a 9-inch or 10-inch pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry evenly with edge of plate. Pour desired filling into crust.
3) Roll out second ball; cut slits in pastry or cut into strips if making a lattice pie. Position over filling. Trim pastry to 1 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top crust over bottom crust. Flute edges.
4) Bake according to recipe directions.

Tip: Make sure the water is ice cold. For a sweet pie crust add 1 tablespoon of white sugar.