Open-Face Maple Apple Pies with Pecans

Steps

1. Make the crust: in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, the granulated sugar and the salt.
2. Add the cold butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the pieces are pea-sized with some larger flakes.
3. Drizzle in the ice water a little at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough holds together when squeezed.
4. Divide the dough into two equal halves, flatten each into a disk, wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk into an 11-inch round and fit into two 9-inch pie pans. Crimp the edges and chill the shells 20 minutes.
6. While the shells chill, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the lower third.
7. Make the filling: toss the apple slices with the lemon juice in a large bowl. Add half the maple syrup, the brown sugar, the cornstarch, the cinnamon and the nutmeg, and toss to coat.
8. Arrange half the apple filling in each shell, fanning the top slices in overlapping circles. Brush the crimped edges of both crusts with the beaten egg.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, then lower the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and the juices bubble. Tent the edges with foil if they brown too fast.
10. In a small bowl, toss the pecans with the remaining half of the maple syrup. Scatter half the pecans over each pie for the last 10 minutes of baking.
11. Cool the pies on a rack for at least 1 1/2 hours so the filling sets, then cut each pie into 6 slices.