Kay's Apple Pie

Kay’s apple pie is the kind of recipe that gets handed down on an index card stained with cinnamon. No fussy lattice, no mile-high filling. Just apples, sugar, cinnamon, and a buttery double crust baking into something the whole block can smell.

Eight cups of pared apples cook down considerably, so don’t panic if the raw pile looks mountainous. A mix of firm tart apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn) and a softer sweet variety gives you filling that holds its shape without turning to sauce. Sprinkling flour directly into the pie, rather than tossing it with the apples first, creates little thickened pockets around each slice.

Brushing milk over the top crust and dusting with cinnamon sugar before baking gives that bakery-style burnished, sparkly finish. It also browns more evenly than egg wash at the same oven temperature.

Chef Tips

• Pare and slice the apples evenly, around ¼ inch thick. Uneven slices cook unevenly and give you crunchy spots next to mush.
• Cut a few vent slits in the top crust. Steam needs to escape or the filling bubbles out the edges.
• Place the pie on a foil-lined sheet pan. Apple pies are notorious drippers.
• Let the pie rest at least an hour before slicing. Cut hot and you get apple soup.

Variations

• Add a handful of dried cranberries or fresh blueberries for a tart twist.
• Swap cinnamon for a pinch of cardamom and a grating of fresh nutmeg.
• Drizzle the cooled pie with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk for a bakery-counter look.