Apple Pie

We hear that 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away'! Not sure if the same holds true for an apple pie too but this warm pie drives my winter blues away!

Ingredients:
Single crust for a 9-inch pie:
Sifted Flour - 1 1/3 cups
Sugar - 5 tsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Shortening (I prefer butter) : 1/3 cup
Water - 2 1/2 -3 Tbsp

For the Filling :
Shredded cooking apples - 4 cups (about 6 medium sized apples)
Flour - 1 1/2 Tbsp
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Cinnamon Powder - 1 tsp
Egg - 1, well beaten
Whipped Cream - Optional

Procedure
Pie Crust :
1) Sift flour and salt into a bowl
2) Add half the shortening
3) Cut into flour until mixture resembles corn meal, use pastry blender or two knives.
4) Add the remaining shortening and cut into flour until the largest pieces are the size of small peas.
5) Sprinkle the smallest measure of water over the flour tossing lightly with a fork.
6) Stir vigorously as you add more water making the dough into a ball. Add a little more water if the mixture does not hold together.
7) On a floured board pat the ball with the hand into a round cake and smooth edges. Use a rolling pin to roll out from center of dough to the edge.
8) Transfer this into the pie pan.
9) Trim the edge evenly or use a fork to cut edge decoratively and take out the extra pieces.
10) Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

Filling :
1) Combine the grated apples, flour, sugar and the beaten egg.
2) Pour this mixture gently over the prepared pie crust.
3) Using the extra pieces from the crust, arrange them as a lattice over this mixture.
4) Bake in a hot oven (450 degrees) for about 15 minutes and in a moderate temp (350 degrees) for about 30 minutes more.
5) Relish warm or cold, topping each piece with Whipped cream if desired.