Classic Apple Pie

Thanksgiving. We were going to host but I was twenty-three weeks pregnant and the idea of cleaning the apartment and standing on linoleum for four hours was not one I could sustain past about Tuesday. So we went to my parents' house in Dorchester instead and I contributed a pie and my opinions, which is a fair division of labor at this point in gestation.

My mother cooked everything the old way—turkey in a pan, salt and butter under the skin, patience. She makes my grandmother's sweet potato casserole with the brown sugar and the little marshmallows on top that my father pretends to find embarrassing and eats three servings of every year without fail. There were twelve of us, table with both leaves in, barely fit. Meghan and Cormac brought the girls, Sean Sr. and Maureen came, the Fitzgeralds came because they always do. Maureen and my mother orbited each other with the precise distance of people who genuinely like each other but are both too proud to be the first to say so. They've been doing this dance for eleven years.

After dinner I sat on the couch and could not move. Liam was doing something elaborate with my rib cage and I'd eaten too much sweet potato casserole. Sean sat next to me and put his hand on my stomach and Liam kicked immediately, like he knew. My father said from across the room: "He's going to be a kicker." Sean said: "Like his mother." I didn't argue. I am, in fact, a kicker. It may be genetic.

I took home half the apple pie I'd brought and ate it for breakfast Friday with no regrets.

The pie I brought was this one — nothing fussy, nothing that required me to stand over a stove for longer than I had the energy for. At twenty-three weeks, my contributions to the table had to be strategic, and a good apple pie is exactly that: you make it the night before, it improves with a little rest, and it holds up beautifully in a pie dish wrapped in foil on the passenger seat of a Honda. The half that made it home with me was arguably better than the half we served at dinner, which I consider a personal triumph.

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 25 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6–8 tbsp ice water
For the filling:
3 lbs baking apples (about 6 medium; Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
For finishing:
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
1 tbsp coarse or granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the crust. Whisk flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add cold butter and work it in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork until the dough just comes together when pressed. Divide in half, flatten into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Prepare the filling. In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with lemon juice. Add both sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Stir to coat evenly. Let sit for 10 minutes while you roll out the crust.
Roll the bottom crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, pressing gently into the bottom and sides. Trim to a 1-inch overhang.
Fill the pie. Pour the apple filling into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center. Dot with the small pieces of butter.
Add the top crust. Roll the second disc into a 12-inch circle. Lay it over the filling. Trim to match the bottom overhang, then fold both edges under and crimp firmly to seal. Cut 5–6 small slits in the top for steam. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Chill before baking. Place the assembled pie in the freezer for 20 minutes while you preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). This helps the crust hold its shape.
Bake. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any drips). Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 35–40 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through the slits. If the edges brown too fast, cover them loosely with foil.
Cool completely. Transfer to a wire rack and cool at least 2 hours before slicing. The filling sets as it cools. If you’re making this the night before, even better — it slices cleanly and the flavor deepens.

Nutrition (per serving)

Classic Apple Pie — The One I Brought to Thanksgiving (and Ate for Breakfast the Next Day)