American Apple Pie

Ingredients:

For the pie crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the apple filling:

• 8 cups sliced peeled apples (about 8-10 medium apples)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the egg wash:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk or cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. To make the pie crust, combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold butter and use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand.
3. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix with a fork until the dough starts to come together. Gather the dough into a ball and divide it in half.
4. Roll out one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish. Transfer the dough to the pie dish and trim the edges to leave a 1/2-inch (1 cm) overhang.
5. To make the apple filling, combine the sliced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir until the apples are coated in the mixture.
6. Pour the apple mixture into the prepared pie crust. Dot the top of the apples with small pieces of butter.
7. Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to make the top crust. Cut the dough into strips and create a lattice pattern on top of the pie. Alternatively, you can use a cookie cutter to cut out decorative shapes and arrange them on top of the apples.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk or cream to make the egg wash. Brush the top crust with the egg wash.
9. Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
10. Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy your delicious American apple pie!