Basic Apple Pie

Basic Apple Pie
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5 or 6 apples
juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
cinnamon to taste
2 tablespoons flour (more if the apples are very juicy,less if not)
1 tablespoon butter
double pie crust

Heat oven to 425°F.

Peel and slice the apples. Squeeze half a lemon over slices and toss to coat. Add the sugars, flour and cinnamon and toss again.

Roll out bottom crust and line pie plate. Add apples, dot with 1 tablespoon of butter and cover with second crust. Decorate with leftover pastry. Make sure to cut a couple of vent holes.

Place pie on bottom rack. Bake for 15 minutes. This helps to cook the bottom crust.

Reduce heat to 375°F, and raise the pie to the middle rack. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. If the crust is browning too quickly, you can cover loosely with a piece of foil.
Butter-Lard Pastry
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2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup lard (or shortening- Crisco)
5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water, or more as needed

(note: if using for a sweet pie, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar.)

Mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard. You can cut the butter/lard in using the food processor or with a pastry blender. Or you can use a box grater for the butter.

Put flour mixture in bowl and add water mixing with a fork until pastry comes together. Form in to a ball and cut in two pieces. Form each into a round flat disc and refrigerate for 1 hour.

The secret to a good crust is to not over handle the dough.