How To: Make a basic apple pie

With this recipe in your arsenal, you'll be the envy of professional bakers.
You Will Need
* Pastry dough for a double piecrust
* 1 1/2 lb. sweet apples, like Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
* 1 1/2 lb. tart apples, like Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
* 3/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. sugar
* 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
* 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
* 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
* 1 egg, beaten
* Rolling pin
* Pie plate
* Plastic wrap
* A large bowl
* A sharp knife
* A pastry brush
* A baking sheet

Step 1: Prepare a crust
Prepare a basic piecrust. Roll out the dough for the bottom crust, and place it in the pie plate. Keep dough for the top crust in a ball wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Combine the filling
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir together the apples, ¾ cup of sugar, the lemon juice, and half the cinnamon in a large bowl. Let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes; then add the flour and stir again.

Step 3: Fill the pie
Spoon the filling into the piecrust, and dot the top of it with pats of butter.

Step 4: Cover the pie
Take the top-crust dough out of the fridge, roll it out, and put it on top of the filling. Then, tuck the edges of the top crust under the edges of the lower crust, and press together with your fingers.

Step 5: Finish the crust
With a sharp knife, cut five vents into the center of the upper crust to create a star shape, or use a fork to pierce a decorative pattern in the center. Brush the top with the egg, and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon and sugar.

Step 6: Bake
Put the pie on the baking sheet. Bake it until the crust is golden, and the filling is bubbling up thickly through the vents, about 45 minutes to an hour. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes, and serve warm.

Fact: About a quarter of the world's annual apple production goes toward the production of hard cider.