GOOD APPLES FOR PIE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the pastry, sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the butter or margarine. Using your fingers, mix together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add about 3 tbsp cold water – 1 tbsp at a time – to bind the mixture into a ball. Then wrap it in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge while you prepare the apples, or for 30 mins if you have time.
• While the pastry is chilling, core the apples, then cut into even-sized chunks so they all cook in the same amount of time. Put the apples into the pie dish, drizzle over the honey and add the cinnamon, mixed spice and about 2 tbsp water.
• Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface until it is large enough to cover the pie dish. Using the rolling pin, carefully lift the pastry and lay it over the top of the apple mixture. Carefully trim off the excess pastry (this can be rerolled and cut into shapes to decorate the pie crust if you like) and press the pastry edges onto the dish to create a seal.
• Make a small cut in the pastry so that the air can escape during cooking, then brush with beaten egg to glaze.
• Bake the pie in the oven for 20-30 mins until the pastry is golden and sandy in appearance and the apple filling is bubbling and hot. Serve while still warm with crème fraîche, ice cream or natural yogurt.

Steps:

• Put a layer of paper towels on a large baking sheet. Quarter, core, peel and slice the apples about 5mm thick and lay evenly on the baking sheet. Put paper towels on top and set aside while you make and chill the pastry.
• For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until just mixed. Break in a whole egg and a yolk (keep the white for glazing later). Beat together for just under 1 min – it will look a bit like scrambled egg. Now work in the flour with a wooden spoon, a third at a time, until it’s beginning to clump up, then finish gathering it together with your hands. Gently work the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film, and chill for 45 mins. Now mix the 140g/5oz sugar, the cinnamon and flour for the filling in a bowl that is large enough to take the apples later.
• After the pastry has chilled, heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Lightly beat the egg white with a fork. Cut off a third of the pastry and keep it wrapped while you roll out the rest, and use this to line a pie tin – 20-22cm round and 4cm deep – leaving a slight overhang. Roll the remaining third to a circle about 28cm in diameter. Pat the apples dry with kitchen paper, and tip them into the bowl with the cinnamon-sugar mix. Give a quick mix with your hands and immediately pile high into the pastry-lined tin.
• Brush a little water around the pastry rim and lay the pastry lid over the apples pressing the edges together to seal. Trim the edge with a sharp knife and make 5 little slashes on top of the lid for the steam to escape. (Can be frozen at this stage.) Brush it all with the egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake for 40-45 mins, until golden, then remove and let it sit for 5-10 mins. Sprinkle with more sugar and serve while still warm from the oven with softly whipped cream.