Recipe

Double Crust Apple Pie

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 1/2 pounds firm, tart apples (preferably seasonal local specials like Macouns, Northern Spy, or Granny Smith) peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
1/2 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Basic Pie Dough
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water to make an egg wash

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add the apple wedges and saute until slightly softened but holding their shape, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup of sugar and stir to combine. Add the raisins, cinnamon, and cloves and stir.
In a bowl. Combine the lemon juice and cornstarch. Stir the mixture into the apple mixture and remove the pan from the heat. Let cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Fill an unbaked bottom crust with apple filling and dot the top crust with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Top with a rolled-out top crust. Cut 1/2-inch vents in a round-the-clock pattern into the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the top lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Put the pie on a cookie sheet or other low-sided baking tray to catch any spillage. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure that the top is browning evenly. Rotate the pie 180 degrees to move the front edge to the back of the oven, and bake until the top is uniformly golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Remove the pie from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.