Apple Pie

Apple pies reminds me of picnics by the lake, 4th of July BBQ, family gatherings. It is a fruit pie filled with apples, of course. And can sometimes be served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top.
You can use any baking apples, I used Jonathan apples. Which is appropriate for baking, especially in pies. It is lightly sweet and tart. Some like to used Granny Smith apples with any sweet baking apple to achieve the sweet and tart taste in the pie.
I would strongly recommend peeling all the apples. With this recipe I only peeled half of the apples and left the other half with the skin intact, thinking that the skin would give the pie a nice color. Well, the color did turn out nice. But munching on the baked apple slices with the skin still intact wasn't too pleasing. Don't get me wrong, the pie still tasted great. The apple slices with the skin tasted like "the pretzels in the Honey Nut Chex Mix." (I'm not a big fan of the pretzels but I just grin and bear it.)
Pies can be covered with different crust deigns. The most popular crust would be a double crust pie, where the top crust would have a few small slices to allow the steam to escape while baking. Another popular type of top crust is lattice top. This technique is similar to weaving. Although it might look complicated, it is actually very easy to do. You can find directions on Simply Recipes.com .
If you don't like runny apple pies, then this is the recipe for you. It may seem a bit odd that the apples are required to be cooked before baking, but the cooking step actually help prevent runny apple pie. Give it a try and let me know what you think. You can find the original recipe on the Food Network's website.
1 pie crust recipe or pre-made pie crust
3 pounds of baking apples, peeled and cored
1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of all spice
pinch of ground cloves
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 egg
Sugar to sprinkle

1. Peel the apples. Slice it in half and core the apples. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Squeeze the whole lemon on top of the slice apples wedges; toss lightly. Sprinkle sugar evenly on the top and toss until evenly coated.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the sugar and cook until sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture has begun to simmer, approximately 2 minutes. Cover and continue to cooke for 7 to 8 minutes on low heat. This will allow the apples to soften and release their natural juices.

3. Strain the apples in a colander to catch all the juices. Return the juices to the skillet, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat until thickened and lightly caramelized. Remove from stove. Add in the apples and spices. Toss until even coated. Set aside until the filling is completely cooled.

4. Preheat over to 375 degrees and place a rack in the lower third of the oven.

5. Fill the pie pan with the filling and cover with dough. Brush the top with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Refrigerate for about 15 to 30 minutes.

6. Bake pie on a baking sheet for 50-55 minutes. Cool on cooling rack. Cool completely until serving.