Closed apple pie

Ingredients:

Pie

• 2.5 cups premium flour
• 4 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 200 g cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons cold water

Filling

• 1.3 kg apples, such as Golden Delicious, Cortland, or Mitsou
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2/3 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling the pie
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• A large pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation:

1. Knead the dough by handIn a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles yellow cornmeal mixed with bean-sized pieces of butter (if the flour and butter mixture gets warm, refrigerate it for 10 minutes, then continue mixing). Add the egg and mix the dough in the bowl with a fork or your hands. If the dough is dry, sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon of cold water.
2. Knead the dough in a food processorIn a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles yellow cornmeal mixed with bean-sized pieces of butter, pulse about 10 times. Add the egg and pulse 1-2 times, being careful not to let the dough form a ball in the processor (if the dough is dry, sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon of cold water). Remove the bowl from the processor, remove the blade, and gather the dough into a ball by hand.
3. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in cling film and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.
4. Prepare the fillingPour lemon juice into a medium bowl. Peel the apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Mix the apples with the lemon juice. Add sugar and mix thoroughly.
   
   In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the apples have softened and released most of their juices, about 7 minutes.
5. Place the apples in a colander set over a medium bowl to collect the juice. Shake the colander to release as much liquid as possible. Pour the juice into the pan and simmer over medium heat until thickened and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the apples with the reduced juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Let cool completely (this filling can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months).
   
   Cut the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half of the dough into a disk 27–30 cm wide. Place the dough between sheets of parchment or waxed paper on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
7. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 190°C.
8. Place one of the dough disks in the bottom of a 9-inch (22 cm) pie pan, about 1 cm longer than the sides. Spoon the apple filling onto the dough, heaping it slightly in the center. Brush the edges of the dough with beaten egg. Place the second dough sheet on top.
   
   Fold the top layer of dough under the edge of the bottom layer and press the edges to seal. You can ridge the edges if desired. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash and then sprinkle with sugar. Prick the top of the dough in several places to allow steam to escape during baking. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
9. Bake the pie on a baking sheet until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving. The pie keeps well at room temperature (covered) for 24 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
   
   Note
   
   You can freeze the pie before baking, without brushing it with egg wash or sprinkling it with sugar. Place the pie in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up slightly, then wrap it twice in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 6 months. Before baking, unwrap it, brush it with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake, without defrosting, until golden brown, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.