Traditional apple pie

There is nothing better than a traditional apple pie. And seeing as its apple season now, what better way to use up the glut of apples I have from my apple trees.

I love a deep filled apple pie, with a packed filling. I usually add some cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon to the stewed fruit but you can add star anis or mixed spice.

Ingredients

For the filling

600g cooking apples peeled, cored and diced or sliced as to preference.

80g caster sugar (you can add more here if you like it sweeter)

dash cinnamon 

squeeze of lemon

For the pastry 

300g flour

pinch salt

150g butter

2 eggs

To Glaze

1 egg

sprinkle of sugar

Method

1. To make your pastry sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in your fat/butter until it resembles breadcrumbs, now I add in the egg and sugar and mix until it forms a ball of dough. You may need to add some water here if you are not getting the right consistency but I find that there is usually enough moisture in the egg to do the job. Place your pastry in a sealed plastic bag and put it in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile make your filling. Place the fruit in a non stick pan with the sugar and the water and any extra ingredients you want here, check your fruit after simmering for about 4 minutes. Then check your apples to see if they are soft. I like quite a chunky apple filling, so this really is all down to preference. 
3. When the pasty has chilled we want to make our pie case. Preheat the oven to 190oC. Roll out the pastry about 1 inch larger than the pie dish, fit it into the dish and trim the edges. Now we want to bake the pie case blind, so prick the base with a fork, all over. Place in some grease proof paper and line with baking beans or with any household beans or pulses if you don't have baking beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes until golden brown. 
4. Remove the pie case from the oven and add in your stewed fruit. Ideally you should let your fruit cool first, but we are all short on time and I have made this before literally throwing the filling straight in hot from the pan and it was still fine. 
5. Roll out the remaining pastry large enough to cover the pie. Add some air holes and decorate with leaves or flowers or hearts or even leave plain. 
6. Brush the pastry generously with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
7. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.
8. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.
9. Decorating alternative, use strips of pastry and form a lattice shape. Brush generously with egg wash.

Techniques used 

Shortcrust pastry

Baking Blind

Stewing fruit