If there’s one thing my family feels strongly about, it’s our apple pie. I hate to be one of those people who says my mom’s recipe is the best, but I know more than a few handfuls of folks outside my family who have had to agree that my mom’s apple pie is simply perfect. With no frills and all love, this apple pie defined my childhood sweet tooth. Apple pie is a classic that needs minimal embellishment, and this recipe honors that. With the perfect contrast of warm spices, tart apples, and just the right amount of sweetness, you may find yourself eating this cold from the fridge in the middle of the night, like I used to catch my dad often doing. The apple and spice mixture is so good that I have to swat away grabby hands from eating all the uncooked apples before they’re even in the pie. She normally makes this straight from her heart, no instructions needed, but with her permission and blessing, I present to you the written version of this recipe.

Ingredients:
Homemade 2-crust pie crust or use a store-bought 2-crust pastry.
10 peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples
4 tbsp of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp cold butter cut into small pieces

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425° F and line your pie plate with your bottom pastry. Place the crust for the top of the pie in the fridge as it will make it easier to slice for a lattice crust.

2. Mix together your spices, salt, flour, and sugar. In a large bowl, toss the apples with the spice/flour mix.  

3. Pour your apple and flour/spice mixture into the prepared pie plate. Sprinkle the butter all over the apples.

4. Take your top pastry from the fridge and slice it into 3/4 inch-wide strips that are long enough to cover the top of the pie. Create a lattice top by weaving the pieces in and out horizontally and vertically. Use a fork to seal the edges. Cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent the crust from burning before the rest of the pie is cooked.  
3. Bake with the foil cover for 35-40 minutes.  Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes until the crust is golden.  Let cool completely before slicing.