Eva’s Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For the crust: Cut up the lard into pieces and place in the freezer while you measure the dry ingredients. (Sorry folks, lard really does make the best crusts. You won’t even think about it when you eat your delicious pie.) Sift together the dry ingredients. Add the lard into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter and incorporate thoroughly.

Add about 1/3 cup of ice water and stir with a fork. Then add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls together. (I usually use about 1/2 cup of the ice water.)

For a tutorial on making pie crust check out my mom’s tutorial for a perfect pie crust (it’s on my blog – see related link). The recipe in the tutorial is different from Eva’s, but the techniques can be adapted to work with either recipe.

Cut the dough into three equal parts. Lightly form into disks.

Turn the first disk onto a floured surface and roll out into a round to fit into a 9″ pie plate. Roll out second disk for the top crust.

(You can pre-bake the 3rd disk and use it for a cream pie. Just roll it out and place into a pie tin. Make sure to pierce the sides and bake at 400 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown. Once baked it will last a few days until you are ready to fill it.)

For the filling:
Mix together the pie filling and applesauce. Pour into pie crust. Sprinkle the fruit filling with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Slightly wet around the edge of the bottom pie crust and top with second crust, making sure to vent the top with slits. Flute the edges.

Using a pastry brush, paint the top crust with some evaporated milk and then sprinkle with sugar.

Place in a 375 degree oven until golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.