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1
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C); position rack in the bottom third of oven.
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2
Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Drizzle in butter. Stir crust mixture until just combined and crumbly.
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3
Transfer 1 1/4 cups of crust mixture into a separate bowl; add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Knead with your fingertips until well combined but still crumbly. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze crumb topping until ready to use.
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4
Pour vinegar and water into the remaining crust mixture. Mix to form a dough; transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Press dough onto the bottom and sides of a pie plate using a flat-bottomed measuring cup to make the bottom crust. Crimp edges with a lightly floured fork. Freeze until ready to use.
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5
Toss apples, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and sea salt together in a large bowl. Pile over the bottom crust and cover with the crumb topping.
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6
Bake on the bottom rack of the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
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7
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (174 degrees C). Turn pie and continue baking, covering crust aluminum foil or a pie shield halfway through, until crust is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before slicing, about 1 hour.
