Denis’ Heritage Apple Pie

Ingredients
8 large granny smith apples               ¼ cup of sugar
½ cup of water                         ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup of sultanas                         185gms margarine
½ cup of sugar                         1 egg separated
1 ½ cups plain flour*                    ¾ self raising flour*
1/3 cup of corn flour                    ½ cup of milk for glazing
extra sugar (for sprinkling over)               extra cinnamon(for sprinkling over)
½ teaspoon custard powder in pastry (optional)     5 cloves optional
½ teaspoon lemon rind (optional)

Method:- Peel, quarter, core and slice apples and place in a large saucepan with sugar, water and cinnamon. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered 8 minutes, or until apples are tender but still holding their shape. Drain apples if any liquid remains and stir in the sultanas. Allow to cool. Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the egg yolk. Add the dry ingredients and knead into a dough. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and use to line base and sides of greased and bake paper lined 20cm spring form tin and spread the apple mixture evenly over the base. Roll out remaining pastry, to cover the pie. Seal edges together and trim. Brush top with the lightly beaten egg white, sprinkle with extra sugar and cinnamon: Cut slits in he top. Bake at 180C (350F) for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 150C (300F), and cook a further 35 minutes or until pie is golden brown and pastry cook through. Serve hot or cold with ice cream or cream.
*Depending on the pastry texture it may require a little milk as the mixture can be brittle and not easy to roll out and place in tin container.
Remember extra people requires extra apples therefore extra proportion wise apples/flour/pastry. Serves 6 – 8 persons.



Basic Apple Pie
Pastry
¾ cup wholemeal flour                ¾ flour
½ teaspoon of mixed spice               45gms margarine
4 tablespoons cold water

Filling
6 granny smith apples               ¼ cup of sultanas
1 tablespoon sugar

Method:-To prepare pastry sift flours and mixed spice together into a bowl. Mix well to combine. Rub margarine into flour using fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add water gradually to make a soft dough. Wrap in “Gladwrap” and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Remove pastry from refrigerator. Roll out on a lightly floured pastry board, until pastry is 5 mm thick, then line 23 cm pie dish with pastry and trim off excess. Cut apples into thin slices. Layer into pie dish and sprinkle each layer of apples with sultanas and sugar. Left over pastry may be rolled again and cut into strips to form a lattice on top. Bake in a moderate oven(180c) for 45 minutes or until apple is tender and pastry is golden brown.
Serve with cream or ice cream. Serves 6 – 8 persons.