Apple Pie

I was asked to bring dessert to a family get together last weekend and since I'm not supposed to eat chocolate for a while (doctor's orders) I decided on apple pie. It was so yummy I didn't even miss chocolate, although I did miss having coffee with it since it's the caffeine I'm not allowed to have. I've been quite grumpy in the mornings.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

2 9-inch pie dough/pastry rounds, I used the frozen kind from Trader's Joes

6-8 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3/4 C sugar

3/4 t ground cinnamon

1/8 t ground nutmeg

2 T cornstarch

2 t lemon juice

1 t lemon zest

1 egg white, lightly beaten

2 T cold unsalted butter

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 t water

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9 inch pie pan with one layer of pastry and brush with egg white. In a large bowl combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch. Allow to stand for 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest. Arrange apples in pie shell in layers. Create a higher mound in the center. Pour juices from bowl over apples and dot with pieces of butter. Top with a layer of pastry. Seal edges, cut vents in center and brush with egg yolk. Bake for 15 minutes then lower oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue baking until crust is golden brown 35-40 minutes. For a sugared crust, brush pie again with egg yolk 5 minutes before pie is done and sprinkle with sugar.