I know I'm biased, but Mom's apple pie really is the best in the entire universe. It's usually warm out of the oven and served with vanilla ice cream. And even when I try to bake pie using the her tried-and-true recipe, it's just not the same. Maybe it takes the Mom Touch, and decades of practice. But I always try, nonetheless... Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without it.

Crust Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1.5 shortening

• ice water

Crust Steps:

1. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Use pastry blender to cut in 1 cup shortening until mix resembles Bisquick...in other words until it seems as if the shortening has just about disappeard. Now mix in the 1/2 cup shortening until it makes very, very small lumps...now as fine as before but definitely not any big lumps.

2. Use a fork to push all this mix to the side of the bowl. Pour in a little ice water. Use the fork to pull the flour into the water and toss it, adding a little more at a time, until the water is all used up and that bit of dough clumps together. Set that clump aside and keep repeating until all the flour is mixed into dough.

3. Smooth into one big ball, then cut into 4 smaller balls for 4 crusts. Spread flour lightly on the counter, put one ball on the flour. Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll out.

4. Notes: Can be made in advance and chilled.

Yield: four crusts (i.e., enough for two double-crust pies)

Filling Ingredients:

• 5 cups apples, sliced (Favorite apples are Cortland or Rome... I will use McIntosh if I have to but I never use Delicious for baking.  Granny Smith also good.)

• 3 tablespoons tapioca

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 Tablespoon butter

Filling Steps:

1. Combine all filling ingredients except butter in a large bowl.

2. Roll crust into a circle about an inch larger than the pie pan. I always use glass pans, 9" for most pies, except I use a deep dish glass pan for apple pie.

3. Put your fruit filling into the pan.

4. Cut butter into small bits, and drop them onto the top of the filling.

5. Use some of the ice water to moisten the edge of the bottom crust, where the two crusts will be touching (this helps make a seal so the filling doesn't dry out). Press down on the two crusts to seal them, trim around the pan, about 3/4 to 1" out from the edge of the pan. 

6. Fold the outer edge under so it rests on the rim of the pie pan and then press down on the folded edge to help seal it even more. Use your fingers to flute the edge; thumb and index finger on left hand on the inside of the crust, index finger of the right hand pushing the dough between those fingers to make that wavy fluted edge. 

7. Use a sharp knife to cut steam vents in the top. Use a soft pastry brush to brush milk on top, sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake at 425 for about 45 minutes.