To make the crust: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add vegetable shortening and toss into the flour mixture with your hands until all pieces are coated in flour. Using a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles cake crumbs.

Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing the water into the flour mixture with your fingers. Once you've added 3 tablespoons of water, gather a handful of dough and squeeze it together in the palm of your hand. If it holds together, gather all the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Flatten into a disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes. If it doesn't hold together, add another tablespoon of water and try again.

While the dough rests, heat oven to 400°F.

Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir until the apples are coated in sugar. Pour the filling into a shallow 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

Remove dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1-inch longer and 1-inch wider than your baking dish. Place the dough over the filling, trim any overhanging dough and tuck it down along the insides of your dish. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the pandowdy from the oven and turn the heat down to 350°F. With a sharp pairing knife, score the crust into 2-inch squares, then push some of the squares down into the filling and spoon some of the juices up over the crust. Return to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the apples are soft, the juices bubbling, and the crust is golden. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or room temperature with vegan ice cream or whipped cream for your non-vegan friends.