The words “apple pie” conjure warmth, aroma, taste, and togetherness. This apple pie recipe is filled with crunchy apples and tucked into Lea’s melt-in-your-mouth pie crust.

Ingredients:
Lea Marie’s Pie Crust recipe (made ahead and chilled)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided (plus more for dusting)
6 Johnathan apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
3/4 cup sugar, plus additional for pie top
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
1 large egg, beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. On a lightly floured surface, divide the pie crust in half and roll out into two 1/8-inch-thick circles about 12-inches wide
3. Press one pastry circle into a 9″ pie pan or dish. Cover and place in refrigerator until chilled (about 30 minutes)
4. Place the remaining circle on waxed paper, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill pastry until firm (about 30 minutes)
5. Combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and 2 tablespoons flour. Stir thoroughly to coat all apples.
6. Spoon the apple mixture evenly into your pie pan.
7. Cut the butter into 2 one-tablespoon portions, and then cut each into fourths.
8. Imagine the pie sliced into 8 pieces. Place one dot of butter about 2 inches from the edge on each slice of pie.
9. Cover the pie with the remaining chilled pie crust. Cut several 1″ long steam vents around the top.
10. Seal the two crusts at the edge by crimping them together with your fingers, or by pressing with a flour dusted fork.
11. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional sugar.
12. Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack before serving.

The Granny Smith apples, alone, can be too tart for a lot of folks, but combining them with Johnathans delivers a very well balanced combination that is sweet-sour, warming, and pleasing. One of the great variations on this pie is melting a slice of cheddar cheese on top and then drizzling with a cinnamon sauce. I first ran across this delectable treat years ago when I was an announcer at a local radio station and the pharmacy across the street still had a lunch counter.