Never had the gap with lard based pie crust. Crust always well chilled and fresh fruit always macerated with sugar and tapioca for a good hour before baking. Frozen fruit shrinks when it is thawed, and most of the year I am using a combo of thawed and chopped. It is also important to not stretch either crust as you apply it. That is how I was taught to assemble fruit pies.. Also after venting, the top crust was firmly pressed onto filling to eliminate air pockets.

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