Pastry
Reserve yolk for egg wash, and in a small bowl, beat egg white, sugar and salt until well blended; set aside. Sift flour into mixing bowl; blend in butter with fork, finger tips, pastry blender, or pulse in bowl of food processor equipped with steel blade until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add egg white-sugar mixture to flour mixture, a little at a time, and toss or pulse after each addition until dough comes together and forms a ball. Divide in half and flatten into disks; wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Filling
Add orange juice and zest to small saucepan, and stir in vanilla and raisins. Heat to simmer and, immediately, remove from heat. Cover and set aside until liquid is all absorbed and cooled, at least 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and core apples; cut into small cubes, asnd toss with lemon juice in mixing bowl. Then, turn cooled raisins into mixing bowl and stir together with apples. In small bowl, mix sugar, salt, cardamom and flour together well; sift a little at a time over apple-raisin mixture and toss with fork to mix together.
Egg Wash
Combine egg yolk and milk in small bowl, and beat together well: set aside.
To Assemble Pie
Preheat oven to 425°F. On lightly floured work surface, roll one piece of pastry to 12-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick. Shape to fit 9-inch pie pan and trim excess all around. Add filling and spread evenly; dot with butter pieces. Roll out remaining piece of dough to 12-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick and arrange on top of pie. Crimp edges together, and trim. With sharp knife, cut several v-shaped vents in top pastry; brush with egg wash. Bake at 425°F for 15 mintues; then, reduce heat to 375° and continue to bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbly, about 40 minutes more. Cool on wire rack.
Notes:
1. King Arthur flours and Plugra butter available at Whole Foods Markets are preferred.
2. Dough may also be wrapped airtight and frozen up to 6 months. Thaw completely before rolling.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 Cup superfine or caster sugar
- 1 Teaspoon sea salt
- 1 egg, separated
- 2 Tablespoons cold water
- 1 Cup all-purpose flour*
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter*, cut in small cubes
Procedure
Filling
- Zest and juice from 1/2 large orange
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract*
- 3 Cups California raisins
- 2 Pounds (4 or 5) Granny Smith or Gala apples
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 Cup superfine or caster sugar
- 1 Teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour*
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter*, cut in small pieces
Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk, beaten
- 1 Tablespoon milk