Real Deal Apple Pie

Last week I decided to try this recipe for "Real Deal Apple Pie" from Taste of Home. I have made other kinds of pies before but never an apple pie. I always have a terrible time making pastry crust and this was no different. I found that I needed a lot more water than called for to get the dough to form, and even then it seemed too dry and crumbly. Finally I did something I have seen on America's Test Kitchen and I added a little vodka to the crust. Supposedly it adds the moisture you need to get the crust to form, while preventing gluten to form which makes the dough tough. Then the alcohol completely bakes out and leaves no taste. That tip seemed to work. I managed to get the dough made. I used gala apples rather than what was called for in the recipe. I also dotted the top of the pie with butter before putting the top crust on. This is something my mother-in-law taught me and I believe it is an essential step. This came out fantastic! Everyone loved it. I will definitely make it again, though I may try a different pie crust recipe to see if I can find one that is more manageable for me. This was a delicious pie!

*Made this again for Thanksgiving 2014 with excellent results. Can't remember what kind of apple I used but it was great!