Although the procedure is time consuming, bake the apple slices on a rimmed cookie sheet BEFORE filling the pie. This assures that the apples will be adequately cooked and that the filling will not shrink under the top crust and leave a large hole between the crust and the filling. Me, I prefer Johnathon apples as they are flavorful and the slices retain their shape during baking. And...that's the way my mother baked apple pies!

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