Apple Slab Pie

What do you think of when you see an pan of slab pie on the table.  I think of family reunions, church suppers and picnics.  It is apple season here in Oregon and each week there are several apples coming into season.  I wanted to take some of these apples and create something that I could share with friends.  When you make a slab pie you are making two pies at once.   The flaky crust of the dough and the sweet filling of apples is a great way to start the fall apple season.

Pie Crust: Make recipe twice
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, cold, small chunks
1 egg
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
5 tablespoons cold water
In large bowl combine the flour and salt, add shortening and butter. With a pastry blender mix together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, do not over mix.  In a small bowl combine egg, cider vinegar and water, add to the flour mixture and combine until the dough just comes together in a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to rest the dough.  Make another batch of pie dough and repeat above.  You will have two balls of dough when you are done.

Apple Filling:
8 golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 tart apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In large bowl combine apples, lemon juice, flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  You will need a 10×15-inch baking pan.  On a floured surface roll out one piece of the dough to fit in the bottom of the 10×15-inch baking pan.  Place apple mixture over the dough spreading out evenly.  Take the remaining dough and roll out slightly larger to place over the top of the apples.  Since the dough is so large to work with I use my large pasta rolling pin to do this.  Roll the top dough under the bottom dough and cut some small slits in the top to vent the pie as it cooks.  Bake in oven for 1 hour or until golden brown and you see the apple mixture bubbling up a little from the slits. Remove from the oven and cool on wire rack.

Icing:
2 cups confectioners sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk
Combine the confectioners sugar and milk in a small bowl and with a whisk combine until smooth and slightly thick.  Drizzle over the pie.