Apple Pie with Cinnamon-Crunch Topping

We had a party for my neighbor, who is getting married next month.  I asked her what dessert she wanted, and she requested apple pie with a crunchy topping.  I used Dorie Greenspan's apple pie recipe, then added some cinnamon-streusel topping.  It just cries out for a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side!

[from Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan]

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp sugar

1 1/4 sticks (10 tbsp) very cold butter, cut into cubes

2 1/2 tbsp cold shortening, cut into 2 pieces

3/4 cup ice water

Combine dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times.  Drop in the butter and shortening, and pulse until there are pieces from rice grain to pea-sized.  Pulsing the machine, gradually add about 3 tbsp of water.  Keep pulsing and adding water, a little at a time, until the dough looks evenly moistened and so it sticks together when pinched.

Gather the dough into a ball and press into a disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

Pie:

6 apples (I used 2 Gala and 4 Granny Smith) - about 3 1/2 pounds

3/4 cup sugar

zest of one lemon

2 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca

1/2 tsp gound cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp graham cracker crumbs

Roll out the dough so it is about 1/8" thick.  I like to roll it between two sheets of plastic wrap so I don't have to add flour.  Fit the dough into a pie plate and trim so there is a 1/2" overhang. 

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Core the apples and slice 1/4" thick.  Place in a large bowl, and mix in the zest, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  

Take the crust out of the refrigerator and sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over it, then pile in the apples.  Put the pie on a baking sheet and make the topping.

Cinnamon-crunch topping:

1/2 cup sugar

3 tbsp flour

4 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pulse the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a food processor.  Cut the butter into small pieces and drop into the dry ingredients.  Pulse several times, until you have small rice grain-sized pieces.

Sprinkle onto the pie, and put the pie (on the baking sheet) into the oven.  

Bake for 15 minutes, then lower to 375 F.  Bake another 45 minutes at that temperature, then remove to cool on a wire rack.