Easier Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1 recipe double pie crust
• 8 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, optional
• 2 tablespoons butter, diced in small pieces

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Lightly grease a 9" pie pan that's at least 2" deep. This will make serving the pie easier after it's baked. Roll the bottom crust into the prepared pan, and trim the edges so they overlap the rim of the pan by an inch all the way around.
3. To make the filling: Combine the sliced apples and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour,, salt, and spices. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples, and stir to coat them. Stir in the vanilla, if you choose to use it.
5. Spoon the apple filling into the pan. Dot the top with the diced butter.
6. Roll out the remaining pastry. Carefully place the pastry over the apples. Bring the overhanging bottom crust up and over the top crust, pinching to seal the two and making a decorative crimp. Prick the crust all over with a fork, to allow steam to escape. Or cut decorative vent holes, if desired. Alternatively, you can weave a lattice.
7. For extra crunch and shine, brush the top crust with milk (or an egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon of water), and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
8. Crimp the edges of the pie, then place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up the crust while the oven finishes heating.
9. Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the pie for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 40 minutes more, until you see the filling bubbling inside the pie (and perhaps dripping onto the parchment). Check the pie after half an hour of baking time, and cover the edges with foil or a pie shield to keep them from browning too quickly, if necessary.
10. When the pie is done — you should see the filling bubbling vigorously, either around the edges, or via any decorative vents — remove it from the oven.
11. Cool the pie completely before slicing. Cutting any fruit pie that's still warm is a messy business. The filling continues to thicken as the pie cools, and if you cut it too soon it will run out all over the place. It's better to bake the pie in advance, cool it completely, then warm each slice as needed after it's been cut.
12. Store any leftover pie, lightly covered, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.