* Use cooking apples like Macs or Granny Smith's. Core and peel then thinly slice them.

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Divide the pastry almost in half and roll out the larger half on a lightly floured surface to a 13-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie tin with the pastry. Trim the edge to 1/2-inch beyond the rim of the pie tin. Combine the apples, 1 cup of apple cider and the sugar in a 3-quart saucepan and cook, over high heat, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes or until the apples are tender. Drain the apples, reserving the syrup. Add enough additional apple cider to the syrup to make 1 1/3 cups. Return the syrup and apples to the saucepan. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir until well blended. Stir the cornstarch mixture and the cinnamon into the apple mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, then pour the mixture into the pastry lined pie tin. Roll out the remaining pastry to an 11-inch circle. Fold the pastry gently, so as not to tear it, into quarters and cut slits in the folds. Gently unfold the pastry on to the top of the filling and trim the edge to 1-inch beyond the rim of the pie tin. Fold the top crust under the lower crust and form a ridge by fluting the edge of the pie. Bake in a 400 degree F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack until slightly warm before cutting and serving.

This is the perfect pie to serve with the rich cheddar sauce in this file.