I forget where I got this recipe from as I'd like to give credit. I suspect that it was a Cooks Country recipe but I'm not sure. The first time I tried it I used apples from our neighbor's trees. They weren't Granny Smiths or McIntosh, but wow did they make for a great pie!
Oh, and that last tablespoon of sugar to sprinke over the top? I use a coarse demara sugar. The larger size crystals and added flavor work really well with this recipe.
1 recipe basic pie dough
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
3 large Granny Smith apples (about 1 ½ pounds)
4 large McIntosh apples (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon juice and 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lemon
¾ cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg white, beaten lightly
Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on it, and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable).
Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface or between 2 large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan by rolling the dough around the rolling pin and unrolling it over the pan. Working around the circumference of the pan, ease the dough into the pan corners by gently lifting the edge of the dough with one hand while pressing it into the pan bottom with the other hand. Leave any dough that overhangs the lip of the pie plate in place; refrigerate the dough-lined pie plate.
Peel, core, and quarter the apples, cut the quarters into ¼-inch slices and toss with the lemon juice and zest. In a medium bowl, mix the ¾ cup sugar, the flour, spices, and salt. Toss the dry ingredients with the apples. Turn the fruit mixture, including the juices, into the chilled pie shell and mound it slightly in the center.
Roll out the second piece of dough to a 12-inch circle; place it over the filling. Trim the edges of the top and bottom dough layers to ½ inch beyond the pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that the folded edge is flush with the pan lip. Flute the edge or press with the tines of a fork to seal. Cut 4 slits in the dough top. If the pie dough is very soft, place the pie in the freezer for 10 minutes. Brush the egg white on the top crush and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Place the pie on the baking sheet and lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake the pie until the top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate the pie from front to back and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees; continue baking until the juices bubble and the crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.