Almost Perfect Apple Pie

No fuss, no pre-cooking the filling, no fancy lattice required. This is the apple pie you make when you want the smell of cinnamon and baking apples filling the kitchen without a lot of drama. Golden Delicious are the pick here: sweet, mellow, and sturdy enough to hold their shape instead of collapsing into sauce.

Those two tablespoons of flour tossed with the apples do quiet but important work. As the fruit releases juice in the heat, the flour thickens it so you end up with a filling you can actually slice, not a soupy puddle the moment you cut in.

Two small steps separate a good pie from a great one. Dot the filling with butter before the top crust goes on for richness, and always cut slits or a little design in that top crust. Those vents let steam escape so the pastry crisps instead of going soggy or splitting open.

Kitchen Tips

• Toss the apples with the flour and sugar thoroughly so every slice is coated. That even coating is what keeps the juices from running thin.
• Don’t skip venting the top crust. Trapped steam softens the pastry and can crack it open in the oven.
• If the edges brown faster than the center, tent them with a strip of foil so they don’t scorch before the filling sets.

Variations

• Mix a tart apple like Granny Smith in with the Golden Delicious for a sweet-tart balance.
• Stir in a handful of raisins or chopped walnuts, or a squeeze of lemon to brighten the filling.
• Brush the top crust with milk and a sprinkle of sugar for a golden, sparkly finish.