Cheddar-crusted Apple Pie (new England)

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cold, cut into pieces
• 1 1/4 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup cold water (plus another 2 tablespoons of cold water)
• 9 cups granny smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or up to 3 tablespoons)

Recipe

• 1 for the pastry: in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar & salt, mixing well, then scatter butter over the dry ingredients & toss to coat the butter pieces.
• 2 using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is broken into pea-size pieces.
• 3 add the shortening & continue to cut until all of the butter & shortening is cut into small pieces. sprinkle the cheese over the flour/butter mixture & cut briefly.
• 4 sprinkle about half of the water over the flour/butter/cheese mixture, tossing well with a fork to dampen the mixture. add the remaining water & continue to toss & mix, pulling the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl, then pressing down again. add more water, if necessary, by the teaspoon to make a dough that comes together.
• 5 using your hands, pack the pastry into 2 balls, as you would pack a snowball, making one ball slightly larger than the other~ the larger one will be for the bottom crust.
• 6 knead each ball once or twice, then, on a floured work surface, flatten the balls into 3/4-inch-thick disks. wrap disks in plastic wrap & refrigerate for about 1 hour before rolling.
• 7 when the disks have chilled, on a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper & with a floured rolling pin, roll the larger portion of the pastry into a circle that is 13 1/2 inches across. invert the pastry over a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan, center it & then peel off the paper, before gently tucking the pastry into the pan, without stretching it. let the overhang drape over the edge of the pan, & refrigerate it that way. while the pie shell is chilling . . .
• 8 for the filling: in a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, sugar & lemon juice, then set aside for 10 minutes.
• 9 preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
• 10 when the apples have set for 10 minutes, stir in the walnuts if you're using them, then sprinkle 2 1/2 tablespoons of flour over the filling, using the other 1/2 tablespoon of flour only if the apples are very juicy.
• 11 on another sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the other half of the pastry into a circle that is 11 1/2 inches across.
• 12 turn the filling into the refrigerated pie shell & smooth the top with your hands, then lightly moisten the rim of the pie shell.
• 13 invert the top pastry over the filling, center it, & peel off the paper. press the top & bottom pastries together along the dampened edge.
• 14 trim the pastry with scissors or a paring knife, leaving an even 1/2-inch overhang all around, then sculpt the overhang into an upstanding ridge.
• 15 with a fork or paring knife, poke several steam vents in the top of the pie, & put a couple of vents near the edge of the crust, so you can check the juices there later.
• 16 put the pie directly on the center oven rack & bake for 25 minutes.
• 17 remove the pie from the oven & place it on a large, dark baking sheet covered with aluminum foil.
• 18 reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees f, then put the pie, along with the baking sheet, back in the oven & bake another 40-45 minutes or until the top is dark golden brown & any visible juices bubble thickly.
• 19 transfer the pie to a wire rack & let cool briefly before serving. the cheddar flavor is much better when the pie is served very warm, & it's outstanding when served with a full slice of the extra-sharp cheddar on the side!