This is one of the family favourites that is fading off the original paper page, so I decided it's time it made its way into these pages! Every time I make this dish, I'm transported back to the Ladies Staff Room at Bishop Cotton's Boy's School where I learnt this recipe from one of the other teachers, who had spent several years in the States. This was her "American" Apple pie recipe.
yes, we did occasionally discuss academic matters in the Staff room, but mostly it was a place to collapse after dealing with class after class with 60-80 students!
This is also an excellent family dish, by which I mean, kids or teenagers can be herded together and given separate tasks.
You need:
A 20 cm wide dish in which to bake the pie( I use a flat steel thali since I have never gone out and bought a pie plate.)
For 4-6 persons, or 3 teenagers
For the pastry
2 cups of plain flour
1 cup of butter or a little less if using vegetable shortening, though I always use cold chilled butter.
1 egg yolk - this wasn't in the original recipe, so you can omit if you like.
1 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of really cold water |
Steps
- Grate the chilled butter quickly
- Put all the pastry ingredients, (except the water ) in a processor, and pulse into a crumbly mass. Add water till it begins to form a lump.
- Remove and quickly form into a single mass without kneading.
- Divide into two unequal parts and place in freezer while you get on with the filling.
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Filling
6 -7 Granny Smith or Eating Apples, or a mixture of the two
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
2 tablespoons worth of butter gratings or lumps.
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Steps
- Preheat the oven, to 180 Celsius.
- Core the apples and slice thinly. You can get them peeled as well if you have any children hanging about with nothing to do.
- Mix the flour, sugar, salt and spices together and then mix through the apples.
- Roll out the lower pastry, and place in pie pan.
- Pile up the filling in the pastry. Dot with lumps of butter.
- Roll out the pastry for the top layer.
- Pinch the edges together.
- Cut slits in the pastry top with a sharp knife, to let the steam through.
- Cover the edges with foil to prevent burning.
- Bake for 60 minutes. Remove the foil when the pastry is a light golden brown, about 15 minutes before the end of the baking period.
- Remove from oven and serve either hot or cold, with icecream or cream, or just plain.
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