makes one 9-inch double-crust pie

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Press one of the pastry rounds into a 9-inch pie plate and chill.

2. Combine the mincemeat, apples, and sugar. Spoon the mixture into the pie shell, top with the remaining pastry round, and trim and crimp the edges as desired. Cut vent holes in the top crust to allow the steam to escape.

3. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is evenly browned. Let cool before serving.

Pate Brisee (Basic Pie Crust) makes enough for a double crust pie:

1. Put the flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a food processor. All ingredients should be cold. Add the pieces of butter and process for approximately 10 seconds, or just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (To mix by hand, combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or two table knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.)

2. Add ice water, drop by drop, through the feed tube with the machine running, just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky; do not process more than 30 seconds. Test the dough at this point by squeezing a small amount together. If it is crumbly, add a bit more water.

3. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Grasping the ends the plastic wrap, press the dough into a flat circle with your fists. This makes rolling easier than if the pastry is chilled as a ball. Wrap the dough in the plastic and chill for at least an hour.

4. Lightly butter or spray with vegetable cooking spray the pie plate you will be using. On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Place the pastry in the pie plate and press it into the bottom edges and along the sides. Trim the pastry using scissors or a sharp paring knife, or by rolling a rolling pin across the top of the pan. Chill until ready to use. Unbaked pastry shells can be refrigerated, well wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 day; for longer storage, they can be frozen.

Recipes are from _Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts_.