Shelley's bacon-apple pie

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

3½ pounds Granny Smith or Pippin apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 to 1-1/4 cups sugar, depending on sweetness of apples

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 (9-inch) pie crust (recipe follows)

10 to 12 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To prepare filling: Toss apple wedges, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl to mix. Allow the filling to sit at room temperature while rolling the pie dough.

To prepare dough: Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll out bottom crust to 1/8-inch thick, being certain to lift and turn dough occasionally to ensure it does not stick. Roll dough onto rolling pin, lift, and place into 9-inch ceramic pie dish. Gently push the dough to fit the pie dish, allowing excess to hang.

To assemble pie: Add filling to prepared pie dish. Arrange bacon strips in lattice pattern over pie filling. Tuck overhanging bacon ends inside the pie crust and filling. Fold excess dough over edge of pie, and crimp with your fingers creating a thick edge of crimped dough.

Place pie on baking sheet covered in parchment and bake until filling is bubbly in center, apples are tender, and bacon is crispy (about 60 to 90 minutes). Allow pie to cool before cutting and serving.

PIE CRUST:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar, optional

Pinch fine sea salt

3/4 stick unsalted butter, chilled

3 tablespoons shortening, chilled

3½ tablespoons cold water

To prepare dough: Put flour, sugar (optional) and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Cut butter and shortening into small pieces; add to processor. Pulse mixture until crumbly and butter is in small pieces throughout flour. Working quickly, start processor and add cold water until mixture just forms a ball.

Turn out dough onto work surface; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 24 hours before rolling out.

Chef Shelley Young

Nutrition facts per serving: 561 calories, 27 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 57 mg cholesterol, 77 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 295 mg sodium, 5 g fiber