Ingredients:

• 1 buttermilk pie crust (recipe follows)
• apricot glaze or beaten egg white
• 5-6 tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons dry tapioca
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• milk and granulated sugar for top crust if desired

Method

1. Prepare buttermilk pie crust as directed below and place lower crust in 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Brush bottom of crust with beaten egg white or apricot glaze to keep it from getting soggy while it bakes.
2. Combine sliced apples, brown sugar, tapioca, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl; allow to stand for fifteen minutes.
3. Fill unbaked pie crust with apple mixture; dot with butter and sprinkle on vanilla. Place top crust on pie and seal; cut steam slits. If desired, brush top of pie with milk and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 55-65 minutes. For first 20-25 minutes of baking, cover edges of crust with foil to prevent excessive browning.

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup chilled shortening
• 1/3 cup buttermilk

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and shortening and cut in with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until moist clumps form. Press together to form dough. Divide dough in half. Gather each half into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour (can be kept in the refrigerator up to 1 week).

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