TWB's amazing apple pie, finally!

Finally, TWB has surrendered the wonderful recipe which he uses each year to create a delectable apple pie for me to decorate and eat! Here it is, for your edible pleasures--

TWB's Perfectly Simple, Perfectly Delicious Apple Pie




For the Crust:

2 Cups flour
1 3/4 sticks butter
1 tbsp margarine
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup ice water

For the Filling:

6-8 apples, depending on size, cored, peeled, and sliced
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon (optional)
1 egg (also optional, for egg wash)

Combine all the dry ingredients for the crust in a bowl (that's really just the flour and salt, unless you're compelled to add sugar to the crust)

Cream in the butter, add margarine and cold water, and mix together (you can do this by hand; no fancy tools necessary!)

Knead dough until it comes together nicely, then separate into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other

Wrap each piece in clip wrap and refrigerate for an hour

In a large mixing bowl, toss the apples with the sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and zest until the apples are nicely coated

Roll out the larger piece of dough and carefully place it into a pie pan, allowing extra dough to flop over the edges (this helps when you're going to seal the pie)

Pour in your apple filling

Roll out the smaller piece of dough and carefully cover the pie, using and excess dough to make pretty shapes and cutouts for decoration

Make sure to properly seal the pie by pinching together the sides, and then poke some small holes into the pie so that it can vent while cooking (you really don't want to deal with the mess in your oven otherwise!)

If you want your pie to be pretty and shiny, brush an egg wash (that's just some egg white for you beginners) over the top of the pie

Bake at 375 for about 45 min to an hour, or until crust is golden

Let cool (but only a little bit so that you don't burn yourself!) and enjoy!