Preheat the oven to 400ºF. You may peel the apples if you like – I do not, on the assumption that it sometimes adds color as well as vitamins.

Cut the apples into quarters and core them. Then slice them into small slices (even chunks if you prefer) into a large bowl. When finished, mix flour, sugar, and spices and pour over sliced apples. Measure the amount of fruit you need to fill the pie plate or cobbler dish.

Mix all dry ingredients starting with the flour, and then add butter and enough olive oil until the flour is sort of “pebbly”, the size of large peas. Add COLD water and quickly mix until you have a soft, but not too sticky, dough. Divide the dough in two and roll each ball thinly between two pieces of wax paper.

Line an 8” or 9” pie plate with one crust. Add the apples, trying to insure that there is not much space between the apples – you need not place the pieces individually, but try to fill the pie plate carefully.

Bake at 400ºF for ten minutes, then about 30 minutes at 350ºF, until the crust is lightly toasted.

Note on Apple Varieties: Some say that the best apple pies are the ones that utilize a mixture of different types of apples. We love pies that include crisp tart apples like Northern Spy, Rome, or Granny Smith and even little tart wild ones. Softer apples, like MacIntosh, will require somewhat shorter baking times. Always choose organic ones.