Start your feast with a bright update on the 1950s relish

Sarah’s Best Apple Pie

Ingredients

3½ pounds apples (see below), peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inchthick slices (8 cups) ¾ to 1 cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon applecider vinegar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch of ground cloves ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting Test Kitchen’s Favorite Pâte Brisée (see recipe, far right) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 large egg, beaten Sanding sugar (optional)

1 MACER ATE THE FRUIT

This technique helps the slices maintain their shape while they bake. In a large heatproof bowl, toss together apples, granulated sugar (use 1 cup if your apples are very tart), salt, vinegar, and spices. Let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for at least 3 hours, or refrigerate (covered) up to 24 hours.

2 THICKEN THE LIQUID

Stir flour into apple mixture, then set a colander over another bowl and drain, reserving liquid. Transfer liquid to a small saucepan; return apples to bowl. Bring liquid to a boil over mediumhigh heat, whisking constantly, until thickened to the consistency of loose pudding, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir back into apple mixture.

3 ROLL THE DOUGH AND FILL

Preheat oven to 400°, with a rack in bottom third. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough ⅛ inch thick (about 13 inches in diameter). Fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Fill with apple mixture; dot with butter. Roll out second disk ⅛ inch thick; drape over filling. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Pinch to seal, folding edges under; crimp as desired. Cut five 2-to-3-inch vents in top crust. Brush with beaten egg. If you want a sparkly finish with a bit of crunch, sprinkle with sanding sugar. Refrigerate 15 minutes (to help the crust hold its shape in the oven).

4 BAKE THE PIE

Bake 20 minutes (the high temperature jump-starts the process), then reduce temperature to 375° (so the crust doesn’t get tough) and bake until golden brown all over and bubbling in center, 50 to 60 minutes more. (If the top browns too quickly, tent it with foil.) Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 6 hours.

“If possible, use a glass pie dish. You can check the crust through the clear bottom to make sure it’s well browned to the center.”

—editorial food director Sarah Carey For a double-crust pie, try our full pâte-brisée recipe. Otherwise, use one disk for the bottom crust (freeze the other disk) and our crumb topping, below.

Test Kitchen’s Favorite Pâte Brisée

Pulse 2½ cups unbleached all- purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal), and 1 tablespoon sugar in a food processor until combined. Add 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle with 7 tablespoons ice-cold water; pulse several times, until mixture holds together when pinched. (If it doesn’t, add 1 more table- spoon ice water and pulse to combine.) Divide dough evenly and shape into two disks; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, or freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

Crumb Topping

Beat 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with ¼ cup packed light-brown sugar, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal) until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour and ½ cup quick-cooking oats (or rolled oats pulsed in a food processor) and beat to combine. In step 2 of pie recipe, reduce flour to 3 tablespoons. In step 3, omit butter and second disk of dough; crumble topping over filling before baking.

T H R E E ’S A C H A R M

The secret to a next-level filling is combining different apple varieties. The ideal mix ranges in taste from sweet to tart to good, old-fashioned apple flavor, and includes some firm ones that hold their shape, so you don’t wind up with a pie full of applesauce. These assortments have it all.

SUPERMARKET FARMERS’ MARKET

1½ pounds Braeburn (sweet-tangy and firm) + 1½ pounds Granny Smith (tart) + ½ pound McIntosh (classic apple flavor) 1½ pounds Golden Delicious (sweet-tangy and firm) + 1½ pounds Granny Smith (tart) + ½ pound Macoun (classic apple flavor) 1½ pounds Suncrisp (sweet-tangy and firm) + 1½ pounds Stayman Winesap (tart) + ½ pound Northern Spy (classic apple flavor) 1½ pounds Pink Lady (sweet-tangy and firm) + 1½ pounds Esopus Spitzenburg (sweet-tart and floral) + ½ pound Jonathan (classic apple flavor)