Mike's Rustic Apple Pie

This is Mike, he's kinda rustic.

Mike's Rustic Apple Pie

His recipe is very simple therefore, rustic...but not without flaws.  He prefers Pillsbury crust in a tube...a TUBE!  Men.

I prefer something more palatable in the pie crust department, I like Barefoot Contessa's Perfect Pie Crust.  So my friends, link up with Ina Garten on the Food Network website, prepare her crust as you will see me do and we'll go from there to create your own rustic apple pie.

Let's do this!

Pulse dry ingredients together in food processor.

Add the cold butter, shortening and ice water.

Pulse until a ball is formed.

Form a ball with dough, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.

Now for the filling!  

8 apples, peeled and sliced in 1/4 " thick slices.

1 Heaping Cup sugar

1 Heaping teaspoon of cinnamon

Mix the apples, sugar and cinnamon together before rolling out the crust so the sugar can dissolve into the apple's juices. 

*keep grown children away from the bowl*

...or you won't have any pie filling left.

Divide the dough in half, one for the bottom and one for top crust.

After you roll out the dough, fill pie plate with the delicious sweetened apples and dot with pieces of butter (approx. 1/2 cup total).  Just place them randomly on top of apple pile.  Use your fingers, it's fine!

Now for a neat trick!  Jamie Oliver style.

Drape your top crust over the apples and using the palm of your hand, slide your palm over the edge of your pie plate to seal the top and bottom crusts together!  It works so great...rarely do I have a leaky apple pie while baking in the oven because of darling Jamie's brilliant technique.

I like to brush the top of the crust with egg white then sprinkle with raw sugar and cinnamon before baking, this little step makes your pie real pretty.  Turn the oven on, 350 please.

All your hard work is about to pay off and your kitchen will smell sooooo gooooood!

Now it's time to notify the maid that you'll be needing her in the kitchen soon ;)

Ta Da!  After an hour at 350, your pie should come out golden brown and bubbling with apple cinnamon buttery goodness!

Don't forget the Vanilla Hagen Daz :)