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Pastry

2 cups white flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening

4 to 6 tablespoons cold water

Filling

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup white flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples (8 medium) - Add a little lemon juice if you're using normal sweet apples. This also keeps the apple slices from browning!

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1. In medium bowl, mix 2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using robocoup (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until butter bits are the size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork or your hands until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

2. Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half; shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

3. Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

4. In large bowl, mix sugar, 1/4 cup flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir in apples until well mixed. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over filling. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate.

5. Roll other round of pastry into 10-inch round. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape. (Alternatively, cut out cute shapes like hearts or leaves to be vents. You can "glue" these shapes onto the top of the pie with a bit of melted butter.) Unfold top pastry over filling; trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; press gently all around with a fork to make a pretty lined edge. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.

6. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Best when served warm.