- One 9-inch classic piecrust
- 1 recipe streusel
- 1½ ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (50 grams) dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 3½ tablespoons unsifted all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 pounds (about 7) pippin or granny smith apples
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- One 9-inch pyrex pie pan
- Advance Preparations: Prepare Classic Piecrust as directed. Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before rolling.
- Prepare Streusel. Store in a sturdy container in the refrigerator for 1 week or freeze it for up to 1 month. Remove from container and spread it on a baking sheet about 1 hour before it is to be used. This removes some of the chill, allows you to break the large chunks into smaller pieces, and makes it easier to handle.
- Rolling the Dough: Follow the instructions in the Piecrust recipe for rolling the dough and for lining a 9-inch pie pan. Refrigerate after fluting while you make the apple filling.
- Baking Preparations: Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 450°F.
- Making the Filling and Applying the Streusel: When you’re ready to bake the pie, melt the butter in a small saucepan; set aside.
- Mix the sugars, flour, and spices in a small bowl.
- Peel the apples with a vegetable peeler, cut them into halves, and core them with a melon baller. Cut 1/8-inch slices on a cutting board with a chef’s knife, or slice apple halves using a food processor with a 1/8-inch slicing blade. You need 9 cups sliced thin. Pour into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with the dry mixture, and toss gently and briefly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and melted butter, tossing again just to combine.
- Remove the pastry-lined pan from the refrigerator. Spoon the filling into the pan, spreading the apple slices evenly. (They will mound higher in the center.) Pat out the streusel to form a thin topping over the apples.
- Baking the Pie: Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until the bottom crust is golden.
- Cooling and Serving the Pie: Remove from oven to a cooling rack. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or Classic Crème Anglaise as an accompaniment.