Chef Lesa's Apple Pie Recipes

It is all in the crust.....

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 lb. all purpose flour
1/2 lb. very cold Mangalitsa Pig lard, cubed into ¼ “ pieces
4 oz. icewater
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. super fine sugar

For the filling:
1 cup golden bakers brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. freshly ground cinnamon
8 Gravenstein, Granny Smith or other medium-sized apples, cored and sliced (peel only if they’re not organic apples)

Directions:
1. In a large-capacity food processor, pulse sugar, salt and flour together until well combined. Then pulse together the lard and flour mixture until it all resembles coarse cornmeal. Next, add the water while pulsing again. Continue until dough just comes together-you may not need all the water. Turn contents of the work bowl out onto a flat, clean surface and gather it together into two discs. Wrap dough and chill for at least 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients together. Let them chill in the refrigerator with the dough.

3.Toss the filling ingredients together and set them aside. While they are macerating, roll out the top and bottom crust, both about 12” diameter. Fit the bottom crust into a deep dish 9" pie dish and return to the refrigerator. Roll the top crust onto a baking sheet and keep cool until you are ready to fill the pie. Preheat your oven to 475 F.

4.Place filling into crust-lined dish. Top with second crust and pinch or press crusts together to form a seal; trim off any overhanging dough. Slash the top of the pie three or four times to let steam escape. Dot the top with butter or additional bits of lard, if you like.

5.Place a baking sheet on the rack beneath the pie to catch any juices. Bake at 475 F. for 30 minutes. Turn down the heat and continue to bake at 350 F. until bubbly and brown. If you like, top the crust with some muscovado sugar in the last three minutes of cooking.

6.Let it cool at room temperature for 2 hours to let it set. Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate, or just have at it.

Makes 8, 6 or 4 pieces, depending on who's eating it.