Apple Pie

This is an annual tradition at my parents house. We make atleast 12 pies to freeze and enjoy for the year ahead. The recipe for the crust is enough to make atleast 12 pies. The apple pie filling recipe is enough to make 1 pie.

Flaky pie crust starter
12 1/2 cups flour
2 T salt
5 cups shortening

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. With pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed. Mixture will resemble cornmeal in texture. Put in a large container, label and store in the freezer.

Flaky pie crust
2 1/2 cups flaky pie crust starter
1/4 cup ice water
1 egg, beaten
1 T vinegar

Crumble flaky pie crust mix, if frozen. Put mix in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine ice water, egg and vinegar. Sprinkle a spoonful of water mixture at a time over the flaky pie crust mix and toss with a fork until the dough barely clings together in the bowl. Roll out dough to desired thickness between 2 sheets of floured wax paper. Place dough in a 9 inch pie plate without stretching. Flute edges. If you are using the pie crust for a apple pie fill with apple filling. Otherwise you can bake the pie crust at 425 for 10-15 minutes.

Apple pie filling
6 to 8 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 -1 cup sugar
2 T flour
1/2-1 t cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together and add to pie shell. Top with 2 T butter cut up into small pieces and top with additional crust or crumble topping. Freeze. To bake from frozen bake 20 minutes at 425 and an additional 50 minutes at 375.