Apple of My Pie: New Renditions of the Classic

She’s 91 years old, and if I asked her right now to remind me of her crust recipe, she would recite it confidently: “2 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup shortening, 1/4 cup ice water, a pinch of salt.” I’m confident that she could roll out the dough, put it in the pan, and crimp the edges just as quickly. It’s one of the first things I ever learned how to bake, with her leading the way of course, and now that I’ve gotten the hang of that classic, I’m branching out into new renditions of the seasonal fruit with suggestions from local bakers and chefs.  See a favorite recipe of mine — a French Apple Tart from the Barefoot Contessa’s book, “Back to Basics.” It’s impressive to serve and so simple to make.