Tricia's Week 33 Recipe: Apple Pie with homemade pie crust

Have you tried the new apple from the University of Minnesota?  It tastes like a sweet-tart!  No kidding.  Though it lends itself more to the tart than the sweet, so it's the perfect pie apple.  It's also very crisp, and the nice man at the farmer's market told me it would stay 6-8 weeks in the crisper as crisp and juicy as when I bought them.  Score!  I've made plenty of apple pies in my day, but never have I made the crust from scratch, so this week I bring you Tricia's Home Made Pie crust (and apple pie recipe).

Pie Crust (Adapted from cookbook that came with my mixer):
2 - 2/14 cups flour (I used unbleached)
3/4 teaspoon salt (I approximated)
1/2 cup (one stick) plus 2 tablespoons butter, well chilled
5-6 tablespoons cold water

Place flour and salt in mixer (yes, I used the kitchen aide mixer and this recipe is adapted from their cookbook), add cold butter, cut into small chunks, and mix until butter is size of small peas.  If you don't have a kitchen aide mixer, use a pastry cutter and cut in the butter to the flour.  Add water one tbsp at a time until all flour is moistened and dough begins to hold together.  Place two sheets cling wrap on counter, pour half dough on each, and wrap up into tight little balls and put in fridge for 15 minutes.  Make pie filling during this time.  Then take out from fridge and roll between two pieces wax paper.

Apple Pie (Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook)
5-6 Apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks (about 6 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tbsp apple pie spice (which can be garnered from the St. Paul Farmer's Market from a nice vendor, and is delicious)
dash salt

Place first crust into pie pan, fill, cover with second pie crust.  Flute and cut slits.  Bake at 425 for 40-50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice is bubbly.

Delicious!  I like this crust.  It uses a little less butter/shortening/lard than other crust recipes I've seen (which of course makes it a bit harder to roll out.  Mine wasn't round, and didn't hold together really well, but it tasted good.  Looks come second, right?!)  I also think my water wasn't quite as cold as it could have been, and maybe I could have used one more tbsp.  Darn, I have to try again!  The filling is delicious, I've been making it this way for a while now.  I pick a tart apple based on what is at the farmer's market or what I'v picked up off the ground at my parent's property.  I'll definitely be trying this again!