“Flower” Apple Pie

Directions

• Step 1 Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place flour, salt, and sugar into a food processor and pulse a few times to mix. Add the cold diced butter and shortening. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Step 2 With the machine running, pour the ice water in and pulse several times until the dough begins to form a ball. You’ll see it start to pull away from the sides of the processor. Pour out the dough onto a floured pastry board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Step 3 Meanwhile, wash the apples and pat dry. Slice each apple in half lengthwise. Then slice each apple half into 1/8-inch thick slices lengthwise (see image below). Each piece should look like a small half-moon. Place the apple slices into a large bowl. Sprinkle with both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice, stirring to coat. Let the apples soak for a few minutes.
• Step 4 Transfer the apple slices to a large skillet set over low heat. (I had so many apples I needed two skillets!) Simmer the apples over low heat, gently stirring every so often for about 10 minutes. You want the apples to soften to the point that the slices are easy to bend, but not too soft and mushy. Transfer the apples and all pan juices back to a large bowl to cool.
• Step 5 Remove the dough from the fridge and cut it in half (reserve the other half for another pie!). Flour the board and your rolling pin generously and gently roll out your dough into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge. Flip and flour the dough often to make sure it doesn’t stick to the board.
• Step 6 Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and begin assembling your pie. Carefully place the dough into your pie dish, pressing it carefully into the sides. Begin to place the apple slices, skin side up, around the perimeter of the pie crust. Layer each new slice to cover about one-third of the apple slice immediately proceeding it.
• Step 7 Once the first circle is complete around the outer edge, continue on with the next circle in, again overlapping each slice and nesting the slices closely against the row before them. Work toward the center of the pie as you build each circle of apple slices.
• Step 8 Once the circles of apple slices come to the center inch or so of the pie, prepare the center “bud” by tightly rolling one apple slice into a spiral. Wind additional apple slices around that spiral until the “bud” is large enough to fill the small gap in the very center of your pie. Carefully nestle the “bud” into the center of the pie. Use pastry sheers to cut any extra dough around the edge of the pie dish and then use a fork to make decorative indents into the rim of the pie plate. Make sure to reserve any extra apple slices and the remaining syrup from the apple bowl.
• Step 9 Bake the pie at 375°F until crust begins to lightly brown, about 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake 20 more minutes until the crust is golden and the apples are baked through. Remove the pie from the oven and immediately drizzle with the reserved apple syrup. Let the pie cool before slicing to serve.