Project Description
Full Recipe in Details
This Weeks Recipe Idea – Warm and Delicious Apple Pie!
Apple Pie is a perfect afternoon or evening desert with a generous dollop of ice cream, custard or yoghurt. I have included Jamie Oliver’s recipe and step by step instructions below on making the pastry and the pie. Jamie is also a fan of using mixed apples in his pies, as am I. Feel free to add pears and quinces too…or do a quince and pear version with all the other ingredients the same. If you are not keen on the sugar, use a little honey instead. The recipe can also be made a little quicker by using a bought pastry.
Produce update – Our local Truss Tomatoes are coming to an end so this coming week will be the last of the supply from Farmer Chris Burgess in Heatherton. Chris will be back with his beautiful tomatoes in August again, so we look forward to that. New this week are Jazz Apples, Pink Lady Apples, Broccolini Bunch, Brown Onions and a new wine – Yarra Ridge Pinot Noir. Freshly brewed local Gypsy Cider is also back on the list.
INGREDIENTS PASTRY
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
50g icing sugar
sea salt
1 lemon
125g cold butter, plus extra for greasing
1 large egg, preferably free-range
a splash of milk
INGREDIENTS FILLING
2 large (3 small) Granny cooking apples
4 eating apples (Jazz or Pink Lady)
3 tablespoons Demerara or muscovado sugar (or honey)
½ teaspoon ground ginger
a handful of sultanas or raisins
½ a lemon
GUIDE TO MAKE PASTRY
Preheat the oven to 180ºC
You can make your pastry like this (by hand), or pulse it in a food processor
From a height, sieve your flour into a large mixing bowl
Add the sugar, a pinch of salt, and finely grate over the zest of the lemon
Cut the butter into cubes, then add to the bowl
Use your fingertips to gently work the butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
Crack the egg into the bowl with a tiny drop of milk and gently mix with your hands until the dough comes together
Wrap it in cling wrap and pop in the fridge to rest while you make the filling
GUIDE TO MAKE FILLING
Use a speed peeler to peel all of your apples
Cut the cooking apple into sixths and the eating apples into eighths, get rid of the cores
Add all the apple pieces to a small pan with the muscovado sugar (honey), ginger and sultanas or raisins
Finely grate over the zest of half a lemon, then squeeze in a little juice
Toss to mix then put the pan on a medium low heat
Simmer gently for 5 minutes or until the apples are just tender
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely
GUIDE TO COOK YOUR PIE
Dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with flour
Divide your pastry dough into two and roll out one half until ½cm thick
Carefully roll your pastry around the rolling pin, then unroll it carefully over a 20cm pie dish
Ease the pastry into the dish, making sure you push it into all the sides
Don’t worry if it tears or breaks – just patch it up – it will look nice and rustic
Pack the apple mix tightly into the pie dish
Separate your remaining egg and beat the yolk with a splash of milk and brush over the pastry rim
Roll out the other piece of dough until ½cm thick
Carefully roll the pastry around the rolling pin, then unroll it over the top of the pie
Fold the excess pastry back in then pinch and crimp the edges together using your finger and thumb
Brush the top of the pie with more egg wash, then using a small sharp knife, make a couple of small incisions in the centre of the pie to let steam escape as it cooks
Bake in the hot oven for 40 to 45 minutes until golden and firm to the touch.
NOTES
Serve with good-quality custard, yogurt or ice cream.
Have a great week ahead and happy local food eating.