Although pies may not have been created in America, they became an American specialty. However, many good American cooks have never baked a pie. I am so sorry about all the people who cook and bake and are not intimidated by lengthy or demanding recipes but are afraid to make a pie. Or, for whatever reason, they just never do. They are missing one of the greatest eating experiences of all.

A plain American pie is a work of art. Every time you make one it is a challenge and when it turns out right you have accomplished something major of which you and your family and friends should be extremely proud. And I would like to add my compliments to the chef.

This recipe is for a 9-inch crust. I recommend using an ovenproof glass pie plate.

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening (e.g., Crisco),
cold and firm

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and firm, cut into very small squares

About 3 tablespoons ice water

(For a 10-inch crust, increase the amounts to 1 3/4 cup of flour, generous 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3 3/4 tablespoons of vegetable shortening, 3 3/4 tablespoons of butter, and 3 3/4 tablespoons of ice water.)

If the room is warm, it is a good idea to chill the mixing bowl and even the flour beforehand. Some pie pros store their flour in the freezer or refrigerator so it will be cold and ready.

Place the flour and salt in a large, wide mixing bowl. Add the shortening and butter. With a pastry blender cut them in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. It is all right to leave a few pieces about the size of tiny peas.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water by small drops all over the surface. Stir/mix/toss with a fork. Continue adding the water only until the flour is barely moistened. (Too much water makes the pastry sticky/soggy/tough. Too little makes it hard to roll out without cracks and breaks in the dough.) Do not ever dump a lot of water in any one spot. (I know one cook who uses a laundry-sprinkling container and another who uses a salt shaker to add the water; that way they distribute it in a fine spray all over.) If you add the water too quickly-if you don't stir/mix/toss enough while you are adding it-you might be convinced that you need more water. But maybe you don't; maybe you just need to add the water more slowly and stir/mix more. When adequate water has been added, the mixture will still by lumpy and will not hold together, but with practice you will know by the look of it that it will form a ball when pressed together. I have occasionally had to add a little more water, but very little-1 to 2 teaspoons at the most.

The shortening and butter must not melt (they should remain in little flour-coated flakes), so do not handle now any more than necessary. Turn the mixture out onto a large work surface and, with your hands, just push the mixture together to form a ball. (My mother never touched the dough with her hands at this stage-she turned it out onto a piece of plastic wrap, brought up the sides and corners of the plastic, and squeezed them firmly together at the top, letting the mixture form a ball without actually touching it. Then she flattened it slightly. Now I do it this way, too.)

If the dough is too dry to hold together, do not knead it (don't even think about kneading it) but replace it in the bowl, cut it into small pieces with a knife, add a few more drops of water, and then stir again..

However you do it, form it into a ball quickly, flatten it slightly, smooth the edges, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour but preferably overnight. Chilling the dough not only makes it firmer, less sticky, and easier to handle, but also allows time for the water to moisten the flour more evenly. If it has been refrigerated overnight let it stand at room temperature 10 to 15 minutes before rolling it out.

Rolling out the dough is easiest if you work on a pastry cloth. Flour the cloth by rubbing in as much flour as the cloth will absorb, then lightly wipe off any loose excess flour. Rub flour on the rolling pin. (I use a French-style rolling pin that is long and narrow and tapered at both ends. It is too long and too narrow for the stockinette cover that is sold with the pastry cloth; I just reflour it frequently while I use it.)

Place the flattened ball of dough on the cloth. If the dough is very firm, pound/whack it sharply, but not too sharply, in all directions with the rolling pin to flatten it into a circle about 7 inches in diameter. (Don't pound the dough so hard that it forms deep cracks on the rim.) With your fingers, smooth and pinch together any small cracks at the edges.

Now start to roll, preferably from the center out rather than back and forth, and do not turn the dough upside down (it absorbs too much flour and becomes tough). Roll first in one direction and then another, trying to keep the shape round. If the edges crack slightly, pinch them together before the cracks become deep. If the dough cracks anywhere other than on the edges, or if the circle is terribly uneven, do not reroll the dough; simply cut off uneven edges and use the scraps as patches. Moisten the edges of the patch with water, turn the patch upside down, and press it firmly into place.

Reflour the rolling pin as necessary. It should not be necessary to reflour the cloth, but if there is any hint that the dough might stick, reflour it lightly.

Roll the dough into a circle 12 or 13 inches in diameter according to the recipe. It is important that the roll-out dough be exactly the same thickness all over (a scant 1/8 inch thick) so it will bake evenly.

To transfer the dough to the pie plate, drape it over the rolling pin as follows. Hold the pin over the left side of the dough, raise the left side of the pastry cloth to turn the dough over the rolling pin, roll it up loosely, then move it to the right side of the pie plate and unroll it, centering it evenly. Or fold it in half and lift it over the plate. With your fingers, ease the sides down into the plate. Do not stretch the dough or it will shrink during baking.

If you have a cake-decorating turntable place the pie plate on it.

Press the dough into place all over. If your fingernails are in the way, cut a small portion of the dough from an uneven edge, form it into a small ball, flour it lightly, and use it as a tamping tool to press the dough.

With scissors, cut the edge of the crust, leaving an even 1/2- to 3/4-inch overhang beyond the outside edge of the pie plate.

Now, to form a hem. I had always believed it was correct to turn the edge of the dough toward the outside and under-back onto itself. Recently I have been turning it toward the inside, and back onto itself. I like it better. So, with floured fingertips, fold the edge to make a hem that extends about 1/2 inch higher than the rim. Press the hem lightly together between your floured fingertips, pressing it a bit thinner, and making it stand upright.

There are may ways of forming a decorative edge. Here's one. Flour your fingertips. You will be working clockwise around the rim, starting at three o'clock. Place your left forefinger at a right angle across the rim of the dough. (Your left hand will be over the inside of the plate with your finger sticking over to the outside.) With your right hand grip the dough rim, using the thumb and bent-under forefinger. Grip slightly ahead (clockwise) of your left finger, and twist the dough you have just formed. This will be at about four o'clock on the rim. Repeat the twists all around. Check and reshape any uneven spots.

Prick fork holes in the bottom of the pastry 1/4 inch apart when baking an empty pie shell.

Place the shell in the freezer for 15 minutes or more until it is frozen firm (this helps prevent shrinking). Wrapped airtight (after it is firm), it may be frozen for months, if you wish.

About 15 or 20 minutes before baking, adjust a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In order to keep the pastry shell in place during baking, cut a 12-inch square of aluminum foil and place it shiny side down in the frozen shell. Press it onto place all over. Do not fold the corners of the foil over the rim; let them stand up. Fill the foil at least three-quarters full with dried beans or with pie weights. (I use about 5 cups of a combination of black beans and black-eyed peas that I have been using for the same purpose for about 25 years.)

Bake the frozen shell at 450 degrees for 12 to 13 minutes until it is set and slightly colored on the edges. Remove the pie plate from the oven. Reduce the heat to 400 degrees. Gently, slowly, remove the foil and beans by lifting the four corners of the foil.

Replace the plate in the oven and continue to bake for about 7 or 8 minutes, or longer if necessary. Watch the pie shell almost constantly; if it starts to puff up anywhere, reach into the oven and pierce the puff carefully with a cake tester to release trapped air. Bake until the edges are golden. Do not underbake. A too-pale crust is not as attractive as one with a good color. The bottom will remain paler than the edges. (During baking, if the crust is not browning evenly, reverse the position of the pan.)

Place on a rack and let cool.

Notes: The ingredients for the crust may easily be doubled for two shells or for a pie with both a bottom and a top crust.

It is a great luxury to have an unbaked pie shell in the freezer. I try to keep one, frozen in the pie plate, all ready for the oven. When it is frozen I wrap it in plastic wrap or in a freezer bag. Then I have only to line it with foil and fill it with beans or pie weights when I am ready to bake. (I think a pie shell freezes better unbaked than when already baked.)

I was making a recipe in which the pastry is baked empty and then a juicy filling is poured in and the pastry is baked again. But while the crust baked empty, it formed a 3- or 4-inch crack right down the middle. If I had poured the filling in, it would have run through the crack, stuck to the pan and been a disaster. I stood there looking at it, feeling totally helpless.

My husband walked into the room and I didn't think he even saw what had happened, but he did, and without a moment's pause he said, "Patch it with almond paste." It took a few seconds for his brilliant comment to sink in-it was genius. I still cannot understand how he knew so quickly what was probably the only solution possible, and one I have never heard of before.

Since then I have used this sensational trick many times; just a few minutes ago I used it for Date Pecan Pie. Whatever would I have done if I had not known about this?

I have used both marzipan and almond paste. The brand I buy is Odense, which is made in Denmark and is generally available at fine food stores all over America. It seems to last forever (either at room temperature or refrigerated), but do not allow it to dry out. After you open it, be sure to wrap it airtight. I use both plastic wrap and aluminum foil.

Cut off a thin slice or break off a small chunk of the marzipan or almond paste, and press it between your fingers to make a thin patch slightly larger than the damaged area. Beat a bit of egg white lightly (only until foamy), then use it as a paste. With your fingertip, brush the white onto one side of the patch and place it, egg white down, over the damage. (I have also used just a bit of water as paste and it worked, but if you have egg white, I think it might be safer than water.) Flour your fingertips and press gently around the rim of the patch.

Then pour in the filling and no one will ever know, and you will say thank you to Ralph every time you patch pastry this way.

To prevent overbrowning of the edge of a piecrust, make an aluminum foil frame as follows. Cut a 12-inch length of regular aluminum foil (not heavy-duty foil). Fold in half and then in the opposite direction in half again, making a square. Fold once more, making a triangle, the point of which is the middle of the piece of foil. To make a 7-inch hole in the middle, measure 3 1/2 inches from the point of the triangle and cut out a shallow arc from the long side of the triangle to one short side. Open the folded foil frame and lay it over the top of the pie so the edges are covered and the center is exposed to get brown.

(You might want to make two frames and use them both at the same time, placing one over the other so that the points of the second frame are between the point of the first frame.)

After using the frame, reserve it to use over and over again.

Although the crumb mixture can be pressed into place directly in the pie plate, I line the plate with foil first, and then remove the foil before filling the crust. This guarantees easy serving-the crust cannot stick to the plate. It is a bit more work (or play) but I think well worth it.

For a 9-inch pie plate (I use a glass one), use a 12-inch square of the foil. Turn the plate over on a work surface. Place the foil shiny side down over the outside of the plate and, with your hands, press it firmly against the plate all around. Remove the foil. Turn the plate over again and place the shaped foil in the plate. Press the foil firmly into place in the plate with a potholder or a folded towel. Fold the edges of the foil down over the rim of the plate.

Turn the crumb-crust mixture into the foil-lined plate. Using your fingertips, distribute the mixture evenly and loosely over the sides first and then the bottom. Then press the crust firmly and evenly on the sides, pushing it up from the bottom a bit to form a rim slightly (barely) higher than the edge of the pie plate. Be careful that the tops of the crust is not too thin. To shape a firm edge, use the fingertips of your right hand against the inside and press down against it with the thumb of your left hand. After pressing the sides and the top edge firmly, press the remaining crumbs evenly and firmly over the bottom. There should be no loose crumbs.

Bake in the middle of a preheated 375-degree oven for 8 minutes. Then cool to room temperature.

Freeze for at least 1 hour, overnight if possible. It must be frozen solid.

Remove from the freezer. Raise the edges of the foil and carefully lift the foil (with the crust) from the plate. Gently peel away the foil as follows. Support the bottom of the crust on your left hand and peel away the foil, a bit at a time (do not tear the foil), with your right hand. As you so do, rotate the crust gently on your left hand.

Supporting the bottom of the crust with a small metal spatula or a table knife, ease it back into the plate very gently in order not to crack it. It will not crack or crumble if it has been frozen long enough.

This is my mother's Florida version of the classic apple pie. It has both top and bottom crusts with a thick filling of apple slices poached before, they are put into the pie, and held together with a delicious cinnamon-nutmeg-orange syrup that is not so thin that it runs and not too thick so it still oozes slightly as it should and is perfectly delicious.

6 generous portions

Pie Crust

Prepare a double amount of Pie Crust (see page TK), cut in half, gently shape each half into a ball, flour them lightly and flatten them slightly, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Have ready 2 tablespoons fine, dry bread crumbs.

Filling

8 apples (3 1/2 pounds; see Note)

3/4 cup orange juice (grate the rind to use
below before squeezing the juice)

1/2 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

Finely grated rind of two oranges

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsifted all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Peel the apples and cut them into quarters. Remove the cores, then cut each quarter into four or five lengthwise slices, each about 1/2 inch thick at the outside edge. There should be about 12 cups.

You will need a large, preferably shallow, pan (a frying pan or a sauté pan) that has a tight cover. Place 1/2 cup of the orange juice (reserve the remaining 1/4 cup) in the pan. Add the water and sugar. Place over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the syrup comes to a low boil. Add the orange rind and the apples, cover the pan, and cook gently, stirring the apples occasionally, until they are barely tender but still hold their shape. As the apples finish cooking, remove them from the pan (a slotted spoon is easiest) and place them in a large colander or strainer set over a large plate.

Measure the remaining syrup--you need 1 cup. If there is more, boil it down; if there is less, add water.

Place the reserved 1/4 cup orange juice in a small mixing bowl with the flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat with a small wire whisk until smooth. Add the 1 cup of syrup, transfer to a small saucepan over moderate heat and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber or wooden spatula, until the mixture thickens. It should be about as thick as a thick cream sauce. Then reduce the heat to lowest and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and the butter, and set aside. Stir occasionally until the syrup cools.

To Make the Pie

Adjust an oven rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Use one piece of the pastry as follows to line a 9-inch glass pie plate (which should not be buttered).

Flour a pastry cloth and a rolling pin. Place the pastry on the cloth. Press down on it gently with the rolling pin to flatten it without rolling until it is a circle 6 to 7 inches wide. Then, rolling gently from the center out toward the rim, in all directions, roll the pastry out to a 12-inch circle. (If the edge begins to crack while you are rolling it, pinch the cracks together before they become large.)

Either fold the rolled-out pastry in half and lift it, or drape it over the rolling pin and lift it--whichever feels best to you--and place it evenly in the plate. Press the sides into the plate without stretching the dough. With scissors, cut the rim even with the outside edge of the plate. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on the bottom and set aside.

Roll out the other half of the dough, rolling it out to a 12-inch circle (the same as the first half).

Fold it in half. Then, for steam to escape, use the tip of a teaspoon to make a half-moon-shaped cut about 1/2 inch in the fold and an equal distance from both top and bottom of the semicircle of dough. Cut through both layers. Then make two more cuts, one an inch above the first and another an inch below. Let stand.

Place the cooked, cooled, drained apple slices in the bottom crust. Pour the cooled syrup evenly over the apples.

Then, wet the top rim of the bottom crust; either use a small, soft brush dipped into water, or use your fingertips dipped into water.

Place the folded pastry over the apples, carefully centering the fold; then unfold it to cover the whole pie.

Now cut the edge of the top pastry with scissors leaving an overhang 1/2 inch wider than the bottom crust. Then, with your fingers, fold that extra 1/2 inch over and under the rim of the bottom crust (not the plate). Flour your fingertips and press the rim together to seal the top and bottom crusts, and also to make the edge a little thinner and standing upright. Then, with floured fingers, flute the crust into an attractive design (see page TK). It should be a high, standing-up rim.

Glaze

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon water

Mix the yolk and water and brush the mixture on the crust, including the fluted rim.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pie is richly colored--do not underbake.

Place on a rack.

Serve while warm or at room temperature.

Note: Use any apples that are firm, crisp, tart, and delicious. The better the apples are, the better the pie will be. My favorites are Granny Smith. But apple pie experts also recommended Cortland (tart and snowy), Rhode Island Greening (for sour apple pie), Green Newton Pippin (sharp), and Golden Delicious (dry and sweet).