Ingredients
pie dough (i personally always use the cooks illustrated one (the one with vodka in it))
3 lbs golden delicious apples ‘after’ peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4" slices (10 small-med size)
1 lemon
4 tbl light brown sugar
5 tbl regular sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbl cornstarch
2 tbl butter
egg white
extra pinch of sugar
Preparation
squeeze half a lemon into a bowl and fill with water. put sliced apples into this as you cut the other apples
separate apples into two equal piles (1 lb 8 oz each). pour half onto a large microwave safe plate and on top put on 2 tbl brown sugar, 2 tbl + 1 1/2 tsp regular sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt and microwave for 3 minutes
pour apples into separate large bowl then pour out all accumulated liquid into extra small bowl
repeat this 2 more times of microwaving for 3 minutes and pouring out the liquid for a total of 9 minutes
repeat this entire process again for the other half of apples
meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 and adjust rack to lower middle
cover a baking tray with parchment paper
after letting apples cool for 10 min, pour all apples into a large bowl. on top put 2 tbl cornstarch
pour accumulated juice saved earlier into 1/2 cup measuring cup. pour that onto the apples. pour the rest of the juice into a 1/4 measuring cup (it should not reach the top) then slowly fill the 1/4 measuring cup with water into it reaches the top. pour this onto the apples
mix thoroughly (could take a solid 5 min) until you see zero white of the cornstarch and it is completely dissolved
pour into prepared pie dough, dot top with 2 tbl butter. cover with other half of pie dough
brush top with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar. cut 4 slits
just before you put into oven, make a very small hole in the side of the crust, just under the edge of the crust so its invisible. this is to allow some of the liquid to escape as it bakes
bake for 425 for 20 minutes, rotate 180 degrees, lower temp to 375, then bake for another 40 minutes
do not bake less then 60 minutes. check every 15 minutes. if the crust is getting too dark or it is too pale, adjust temp accordingly
an instant read thermometer should read 182-185 after exactly 15 seconds when stuck into the filling
