MILE HIGH APPLE PIE

Makes: 12 servings.

Prep: 45 minutes. Refrigerate: 2 hours. Cook: 15 minutes. Bake: at 425 degrees
for 15 minutes; then at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
Pastry:
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup cold water

Filling:
3 tablespoons butter
6 pounds assorted crisp apples, such as Granny Smith and Jonathan, peeled, cored and cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons instant tapioca
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 ginger cookies, crumbled

Glaze:
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sugar

1. Pastry: In large bowl, mix flour, sugar and salt. With pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces the size of peas remain and texture is uniform. Drizzle in cold water, tossing with fork until dough is evenly moistened and just begins to hold together. Transfer dough to lightly floured surface, and gather together. Divide dough in half; shape each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour.

2. Filling: Meanwhile, in large deep pot (at least 6 quarts), heat butter over medium heat. Add apple wedges; cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until just tender (not falling apart). Transfer apples to large bowl; refrigerate 1 hour.

3. In small bowl, stir together sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, ginger and cloves until well blended. Once apples are cool, gently stir sugar mixture into the apples. Set the filling aside.

4. On lightly floured surface, roll one half of dough into 14-inch circle. Carefully transfer dough to 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim excess dough and reserve, leaving slight overhang.

5. Sprinkle crumbled cookies over bottom of crust. Using slotted spoon, transfer apple mixture to pie dish, mounding very high in center. Pour remaining liquid in bowl over apples.

6. Roll out second half of dough into 13-inch circle. Carefully drape on top of mounded pie filling. Trim any excess pastry and reserve; crimp top edge together with bottom crust; flute decoratively. Cut 3 vents in pastry with paring knife. Gather reserved scraps of dough together and roll out; cut out leaf shapes. Attach to top crust of pie with a little of the egg white from the glaze. Place pie in freezer for 20 minutes to firm crust.

7. Heat oven to 425°.

8. Glaze: Remove the pie from the freezer. Brush the crust with the egg white; sprinkle with the sugar.

9. Bake in 425° oven for 15 minutes to set crust. Lower temperature to 350°; bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden and apples are very tender; cover edge of crust with foil if it browns too quickly. Cool pie on wire rack for about 1 hour or
until bottom is warm but not hot to the touch. Serve slightly warm or at
room temperature.