INGREDIENTS
PASTRY
- 175 g / 6 oz plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 85 g / 3 oz butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
- 85 g / 3 oz lard or white vegetable fat, cut into small pieces
- about 1-2 tbsp water
- beaten egg or milk, for glazing
FILLING
- 750 g – 1 kg / 1 lb 10 oz – 2 lb 4 oz cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 125 g / 4 1/2 oz soft light brown or caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- about 1-2 tbsp water
INSTRUCTION
To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and lard, and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough cold water to mix to a firm dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220’C / 425’F / Gas Mark 7. Roll out most two thirds of the pasty thinly and use to line a deep 23-cm / 9-inch pie plate.
For the filling, mix the apples with the sugar and spics, and pack into the pastry case – the filling can come up above the rim. Add the water, if needed, particularly if the apples are not very juicy.
Roll out the remaining pastry to form a lid. Dampen the edges of the pie rim with water and position the lid, pressing the edges firmly together. Trim and crimp the edges.
Use the pastry trimmings to cut out leaves or other shapes to decorate the top of the pie. Dampen and attach. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg or milk, make one or two slits in the top and place the pie on a baking tray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180’C / 350’F / Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 30 minutes, or until the pastry is a light golden brown, Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with sugar.
Making & Baking 