Recipe: Mom's Apple Pie

My mom has agreed to let me share her recipe with you. She swears it's not that special. The crust recipe comes from an old friend who copied it out for my mom after a dinner club 40 years ago. The recipe for the filling came from the "Family Fare" recipe booklet distributed by the Department of Agriculture in 1970. Maybe it's not the recipe that's so special. Maybe my mom just has the propensity to turn a plain recipe into something that has people falling all over themselves. But try it for yourself and see if it doesn't work a little magic for you.

Pie Crust - for 2 crust pie

• 1 cup shortening
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Mix flour, shortening and salt until crumbly. A pastry blender works well for this. Mix milk and vinegar and add to flour mixture. Mix with a fork just until ingredients hold together. The less you handle the dough, the lighter and flakier the crust will be. With your hands, gently press the dough into two equal balls. If it is too soft to handle, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm again. Roll the balls out on a lightly floured surface. Lay one carefully in a pie pan and save the second for the top.

Apple Pie
From Department of Agriculture "Family Fare" 1970

• 5 cups pared, sliced tart apples
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter, if desired
• pastry for a 2-crust 8 inch pie

Prepare unbaked pastry. Mix dry ingredients lightly with apples in a bowl. Put filling into a pastry lined pie plate. Dot with butter, if desired. Top with second crust. Make a few decorative slices Bake at 400 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes, or until filling bubbles and the crust is golden brown. Note: if the apples are sweet, decrease the sugar.
Yield: 1 pie

This recipe was adapted by Jessica Webster and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Dec. 8, 2011.