Slab Apple Pie

My best baking friend gave me a special pan to make slab pie with and my husband bakes this for us all last weekend. It is somewhere between and apple pie and a poptart, and is espeically recommended if you are a fan of the crust. ALL BUTTER CRUST: One quarter sheet pan (9x13-inch with a 1-inch tall rim) 2 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and frozen for 20 minutes 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup ice water APPLE FILLING: 3 to 4 pounds (6 -7 large) apples (see Recipe Notes below) 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk 2 tablespoons sparkling or granulated sugar PREPARE THE CRUST: In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter and salt until the butter is in small pieces coated with flour, about 15 times. Add the ice water all at once and process until the mixture almost forms a ball. Form the dough into a 6x4-inch rectangle using plastic wrap and a bench scraper to firmly press the dough into a cohesive form. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm slightly (not too much!) Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger piece to 11x15-inches and place it into the quarter sheet pan, pressing it into the corners of the pan and allowing the excess to drape over the sides. Refrigerate. Roll out the second piece of dough to 10x14-inches, place it on a lightly floured sheet of parchment, and refrigerate. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. If you have one, place a baking stone or an inverted larger baking sheet on the center rack to heat. If you don't have one, don't worry about it. PREPARE THE FILLING: Line a large bowl with a very clean thin cotton kitchen towel or a double layer of cheesecloth. Place a box grater in the bowl and grate the apples, including the peel, right down to the core, right into the towel. Dispose of the cores. Twist the towel for a powerful squeeze, extracting the juice. This helps avoid a wet-bottomed pie. Capture all of the delicious apple juice in a glass and drink up after all of that hard work. That freshly squeezed apple juice will taste AMAZING, so don't throw it out! Empty the squeezed dry, grated apples out of the towel into the bowl. Add the brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir well (or mix with clean hands). Take the bottom crust out of the refrigerator. Pile the filling into the center and gently spread out the apples to fit the pan. Scatter the button over the top of the filling. With scissors, trim the crust to about 1/2 inch over the edge of the pan. Tuck the bottom crust edge up and over the top crust, and fork crimp. Chill for 20 minutes. Brush the surface of the pie with the cream and dust liberally with the sugar. Slash one or two vents and slide the pan into the hot oven (on top of the hot stone or baking sheet, if using). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is deeply browned. If the crust gets too dark, tent the pie with foil. Cool for 10 minutes or more before slicing and serving.