Penny's Orchard Apple Pie
Ingredients
8 or 9-inch Double Crust
3/4 cup Shortening
5 tablespoons cold water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Filling
1/3 to 3/4 cup sugar (Exact amount of sugar depends on your taste and what apples you use)
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 cups thinly sliced, pared tart apples(2-1/2 lbs.)
2 tablespoons butter
Procedure
Double Crust
Preheat oven to 425 deg-by the time the oven is hot, the pie will be ready to bake.
Place shortening, water, flour and salt in food processor bowl. Process just until dough clumps together-about 5 seconds.
Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 6-inch pancake. Center one pancake inside a 13 by 15 inch plastic bag. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the countertop to hold the plastic bag in place. Smooth out the bag and begin rolling the pastry from the center out in alternating directions to form an even circle. After every few strokes, lift the top surface of the bag from the dough and smooth it down again flip the bag over and lift the other surface and smooth it down. Continue this "roll, lift, flip" pattern until your circle of dough is about one inch wider than the rim of your pie pan.
Loosen both sides of the plastic bag from the dough and slide the pie pan unside-down into the bag and center it over the circle of dough. Turn the pan and bag over so the dough rests in the pan and slide the pan and dough from the bag. Gently press the pastry into the pan and trim the edges about one half inch beyond the rim.
Filling
Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Pare, core, and slice the apples with an apple paring/coring/slicing machine. In a large bowl, toss the apple slices lightly with the sugar mixture then turn the filling into the bottom crust.
Cut the butter in small pieces and dot it over the filling.
Put the remaining dough pancake inside the bag and roll it out using the same "roll, lift, flip" routine. When the top crust is rolled, cut the bag on 3 sides and peel off the top sheet of plastic. Use the remaining sheet of plastic to turn the top crust over the filling, center it, then peel off the plastic. Trim the top crust to 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie pan. Fold the top edge under the bottom crust and flute. Cut steam vents in the top crust. Bake about one hour ur until the apples are fork-tender and the crust is golden brown.
