Martha Stewart Apple Pie Food

OLD-FASHIONED APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee into two 1/8-inch-thick circles to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch plate. Press one pastry circle into the pie plate. Place the other circle on waxed paper, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill all pastry until firm, about 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and flour. Toss well. Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter, and cover with remaining pastry circle. Cut several steam vents across top. Seal by crimping edges as desired. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional sugar.
• Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack before serving.

APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Lightly flour a large piece of waxed paper; place a disk of dough in center. Rolling from center outward, form into a 12-inch circle. (Use paper to rotate dough, and flour rolling pin and paper as necessary to prevent sticking.) Transfer dough (still on paper) to a baking sheet; cover and refrigerate. Repeat with second disk of dough.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a rack set in lowest position. Remove first circle of dough from refrigerator; wrap around rolling pin (discarding paper), and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently lift edges and lower dough into the pie plate so it hugs bottom and sides. Avoid stretching the dough, which will make it shrink during baking. Refrigerate.
• Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel, core, and cut apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices; halve crosswise, and add to lemon juice (to keep them from turning brown) as you work. Add sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt; toss to combine.
• Remove dough-lined pie plate from refrigerator. Fill with apple mixture, gently packing apples and mounding slightly in center; dot with butter. Lightly brush rim of pie shell with water. Remove remaining circle of dough from refrigerator. Lay over apples; press along moistened rim to seal. Using kitchen shears, trim overhang to 1 inch.
• With floured fingers, fold overhang under itself to form a thick rim; pinch between thumb and forefinger to form a uniform edge around the rim of the pie plate.
• To crimp edges: With thumb and index finger of one hand, gently press dough against knuckle of other hand; continue around pie. (Deep indentations anchor dough on rim and prevent it from sliding down sides of pie plate during baking.)
• With a floured paring knife, cut 5 to 6 slits in top of pie, radiating from center; place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes more. If edges brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil. Cool completely, at least 6 hours, before serving.

MARTHA STEWART'S SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface or between two large floured pieces of plastic wrap, roll out larger piece of dough to an 18x13-inch rectangle, trimming excess dough.
• Fit into a 15x10 inch rimmed baking sheet, pressing into corners (pastry will hang over sides). Chill while assembling filling.
• In a large bowl, stir together fruit, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt. Spread mixture over chilled pie shell. Chill again while you roll out the top crust.
• On a lightly floured surface or between two large, floured pieces of plastic wrap, roll out remaining piece of dough to a 16x11-inch rectangle; drape over filling. Fold edge of bottom dough over top dough. Crimp if desired. Prick top dough all over with a fork. Brush entire surface with cream or an egg wash (thinned with a little water if necessary), and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 40 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let pie cool until just warm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into 12 pieces. Slab is best eaten the day it is baked but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
• Pate Brisee directions: Process flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add butter. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough comes together. (Do not process more than 30 seconds.).
• Turn dough out in two portions onto two pieces of plastic wrap with one slightly larger than the other (this will be your bottom crust). Flatten dough and shape into rectangles. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight).

MARTHA STEWARTS FOOLPROOF PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Put the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor and pulse once or twice.
• Add the butter and process until the mixture looks grainy.
• Then slowly, while pulsing, add the water until you can form the dough by pressing it between your fingers.
• Decant the loose dough onto a piece of plastic wrap.
• Using the wrap, fold the loose dough towards the middle and press with the back of your hands to form dough.
• Split into two pieces and wrap each and chill for at least 4 hours before using.
• Dough can be made ahead for up to one week.