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I've got 15 minutes

I have not updated my blog in quite some time. I am ashamed.  And I don't have time to post something so wonderful that you'll love me again. So, instead please enjoy this apple pie I baked. Here's the recipe too, straight from Martha's website.

Angela's tips:
Personally, I like to slice the apples as uniformly as possible and I reserve one or two apples for cutting into inch (ish) cubes. I find that this gives the pie a crunchier texture and is more impressive looking when you slice it. And that's really why you're baking an apple pie, isn't it? Also, I use freshly grated nutmeg. You can get whole nutmegs from whole foods for just a few cents. You only need one.

Also, I recently discovered that a food processor makes crust making a breeze! It's is extremely important that your butter and water are SUPER cold. For you sciencey nerds out there, lemme 'splain. When the crust mixture is blended you deposit little pieces of butter and water into the flour. As the crust bakes these deposits of water evaporate and create deposits of air. Which equals a flaky crust, and that's the good stuff. Also (when time permits) I put the blades into the freezer while I gather my ingredients.

And lastly, I like to grate some super bourge-y gruyère on top of the crust. 



Martha's Apple Pie 
Makes 1 double-crust pie
Pie pastry
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water (essential that the water is cold)
Filling
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
12 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I like to use a mixture of Granny Smith and Fuji, or any other apples that look nice at the market)
3/4 cup sugar, plus additional for pie top
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and use a pastry blender (or a fork, but I find it makes a difference to use the proper tool) to blend until mixture resembles coarse meal.
1.a Use your food processor. It is sooo much easier. 
2. Add ice water slowly, while gently stirring with a spatula just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Be careful not to over-work the dough. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 30 minutes.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface (I like to use a pastry cloth), roll out pastry into two 1/8-inch-thick circles to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch plate. Press one pastry circle into the pie plate.
5. In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and flour. Toss well. Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter, and cover with remaining pastry circle. Trim edges of crust to make neat circle, with top slightly larger than bottom. Seal by gently folding top layer around the edge of the bottom shell and pinching edges with fingers and thumb to make a pretty fluted edge. Cut several steam vents across top. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional cinnamon and sugar.
6. Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack before serving.

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