Christopher Kimball’s Double-Crust Apple Pie

This pie is “doubled” both inside and out. The tender, flaky double crust envelops a filling made with a duo of apples. Granny Smiths add tartness and acidity, plus they retain a good amount of texture when cooked. McIntosh apples, on the other hand, are sweet and flavorful and they break down to an applesauce-like texture with cooking. Though this sounds like a fault, the Macs helps thicken the filling, obviating the need to use a lot of starch, which deadens the fruitiness of the apples. If Macs aren’t available, Cortland or Empire apples are good stand-ins. We like our apple pie to taste of the fruit, not of a mélange of spices, so we add only lemon zest and juice as flavor brighteners, and sometimes just a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Feel free to up the amount of spices to suit your taste. If your apples begin to release moisture the moment they’re combined with the sugar, it’s a good idea to toss in a tablespoon of flour so the baked filling isn’t awash in watery juices. The pie is best served at room temperature, when the filling is set, which makes slicing easier and neater. As with all apple pies, this is delicious served a la mode. And it’s great even on the following day.