My Family's Favourite Apple Pie

Growing up, it was my responsibility to make the apple pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.  I have a vague recollection of this pie evolving from something my father's mother would make for us.  My grandmother was French Canadian, but lived in Kitchener when I was growing up.  I remember visiting her in the summer for a week at a time and travelling up and down country roads to visit different Mennonite farms, buying apples from one farm, a chicken from another, butter and eggs from from somewhere else.  It was on one of these summer visits that we made a version of this apple pie together.  The pie has evolved over the years, and is now less sweet.  

My siblings still expect me to make this apple pie for family events, to the point that when my daughter and I were out of town for Christmas last year, I think my family seemed to miss the pie, or at least the topping more than us.  

My Family's Favorite Apple Pie

Pastry for a Single Crust

• 11/4 cups of pastry flour
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter
• 1tablespoon of lemon juice 
• 3 tablespoons of cold water

Sift flour and sugar into a bowl, cut butter into small squares and cool again in the fridge.  Add to flour and cut into flour.   Mix lemon juice and water together.  Sprinkle half of water over over flour mixture and gently mix with fork, continue to add fluid until the the mixture holds together.  Do not over work. Form into ball and wrap with plastic.  Let rest in refrigerator for at least a half hour.  Roll out and fit into 9 inch glass pie plate.  

Apple Filling

• 6-8 cooking apples, I like Spy or Cortland
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

Peel apples and cut into large chunks and place in bowl.  Mix with cinnamon and nutmeg.  Some people add sugar, I prefer the pie to be a bit tart as a counterbalance to the sweetness of the topping. Arrange apples in pie plate fitting as snugly as possible to minimize settling.  

Topping

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup flour

Mix dry ingredients together in bowl.  Cut butter into small pieces and work into dry ingredients with fingers. Handle  as little as possible.  Gently pat chunks of the mixture into flattish pieces, that are not too perfect and place on top of pie, gradually covering the top of the pie. 

Place pie in 375 degree preheated oven and then turn oven down to 350 and cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and let cool. top should be crisp and apples should not be mushy.