as American as ...

I always used to make my apple pie using the late-60s edition of The Joy of Cooking that I acquired somewhere in my meandering.  (Virginia, I think.  Long story.)  Unfortunately, like so many other things that I really never would have thought I could live without, that got left behind when I moved to California.

Oops. :P

So I found this recipe at The Joy of Baking when I found myself prepared to make a pie the other day, and I am really pleased with the results.

apple pie
2 1/2 pounds apples (about 6 large)
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional, see note)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons corn flour (see note)
1 pie shell of your choice

Preheat to 425.  Peel, core, slice apples, you know the drill.  Mix with sugars, lemon juice, spices, and salt.  Let this sit for at least 30 minutes or as long as 3 hours.  Drain the resulting juices into a saucepan, add butter, cook down until it's thick and syrupy.  Put the corn starch on the apples; toss.  Add the mix from the saucepan; toss again.  Put the whole mess in a pie shell.  Bake 30 minutes, then cover the edges of the crust with a ring of foil; I could not for the life of me get the foil to stay in place so I just kind of brushed it with water and hoped for the best.  It worked out, but it also was a low pie; the edges were folded into the pan and I suspect that helped.  Anyway, total cook time 45-55 minutes, and enjoy.

Note #1: I used allspice instead of nutmeg and I did not regret it.

Note #2: This recipe kept calling for "cornstarch (corn flour)."  I can't determine if those are actually the same thing; it doesn't seem like they should be.  Either way, though, I got corn flour because the store I frequent for that sort of thing didn't have bulk corn starch and I always wind up getting one of those giant boxes that lasts forever and eventually I throw it out, so I figured the experiment was worth a shot, and it worked out just fine.  So I'm recommending corn flour, and if you're one of those smart culinary chemistry types who can tell me whether that's just the same damn thing anyway, please do.