The BEST Apple Pie

I originally got this recipe from my college roommate Robin. She is an incredible baker. This is the best apple pie you'll ever eat, and the crust is much easier than a normal pie crust. Serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

This is from the September '96 issue of Bon Appetit (Apple Pie Hubbub with Cinnamon Streusel Topping)

Crust:
6 oz (1.5 sticks) butter, softened
1.5 oz (6 tbs) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
7 1/4 oz (1.5 c) flour

Filling:
2 lbs baking apples, peeled, cored, cut into .5" slices
1/4 c sugar
3 tbs butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon

Topping:
5.5 oz (1 1/4 c) flour
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
5 oz (1 1/4 sticks) chilled butter, cut into small pieces

For crust: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine first four ingredients in large bowl, beat until fluffy. Add flour, beat just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Press dough over bottom and up sides of 9" pie pan. Freeze until firm, about 10 min.

Bake crust 10 min. Using rubber spatula, press up sides of crust if beginning to fall. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 20 min. longer. Cool completely on a rack.

For filling: Toss apples with remaining ingredients. Transfer filling to crust, mounding in center.

For topping: Mix all but butter in medium bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter until moist clumps form. Sprinkle topping over filling, pressing gently to compact.

Bake until topping is golden and apples are tender, covering crust edges with foil if browning too quickly, about one hour. Cool to room temperature.