Crust
Place the flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Cube the butter and add the butter cubes to the mixing bowl. Cut the mixture with a pastry cutter until the butter is reduced to chunks the size of peas.

Slowly add the water, tossing the crust mixture with a fork while doing so. After the water is added, gather the dough into a ball, gently pressing while doing so to gather any loose crumbs. Add a little more water if the crust isn’t quite sticking together.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Filling
Peel and core the apples. Cut the apples into 1/2-inch chunks and place the apple chunks in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients. Toss to evenly coat the fruit. Let the filling rest on the countertop while rolling out the pie dough. 

Final Assembly
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Remove the pie dough from the fridge and cut in half. Roll out the first dough piece on a well-floured surface into a circle to fit the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan with a slight overhang. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough from the center to the edges. Occasionally turn and flour the dough while rolling it out to prevent sticking.

Fold the dough in half, place it over the pie pan, unfold and press gently to fit the pan. Dump the filling over the dough into the pie pan. Roll out the second dough half in the same manner to a size that will fit over the top of the pie pan with a slight overhang. Fold the dough in half, place it over the filling and tuck the edges under the bottom crust. Crimp the edges with your fingers to create a seal.

Whisk the egg and water to create an egg wash. Brush the entire top of the crust with the egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle the top with sugar crystals.

Make 4 slits in the top of the crust, place the pie pan on the oven’s center rack and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool for 1 hour before serving.