French Apple Pie

This pie with the streusel topping is a classic. I especially like the easy press-in-the-pan crust for beginning cooks. Nut Cookie Crust 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/3 cup brown sugar 1-1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts 1/8 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking soda Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add remaining ingredients until crumbs form. Press crumbs against bottom and sides of 9" pie place, building up a 1/2" rim. 8 cups thinly sliced peeled apples 1/2 cup sugar 3 Tbsp. flour 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup cold butter Mix together apples, sugar, 3 Tbsp. flour and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Place into Nut Cookie Crust. Mix together 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the apples in the crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake 25-40 minutes longer, until apples are tender when pierced with fork and juices are bubbling. Cool pie on wire rack. Serve warm. For information about making pies, see Pastry 101.