Serving size: Serves 8
Cooking time: More than 1 hour
Course: Dessert
Favourite flavours: Cakes/baking

Rustic apple pie

INGREDIENTS

4 medium (600g) green apples
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups (750ml) water
2 cups (300g) plain flour
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar, extra
125g cold unsalted butter, chopped
4 tablespoons iced water, approximately
2 tablespoons milk

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
2 Peel and core apples; cut into eighths. Place the apple in a medium saucepan with sugar, rind, 1 tablespoon of the juice and the water. Bring to the boil; simmer over a low heat for about 10-12 minutes or until apple is tender. Remove the apple with a slotted spoon; drain on absorbent paper. Simmer the syrup, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until reduced to 200ml. Remove from the heat.
3 Meanwhile, process flour, 1 tablespoon of the extra sugar and butter until crumbly. Add enough water to process until ingredients come together. Press dough into a ball, enclose in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4 Roll the dough between two large sheets of baking paper into a 35cm round. Remove the top layer of paper; carefully lift dough onto a large oven tray.
5 Pile the apples into the centre of the dough, leaving a 7cm border. Fold pastry edge up and around the apple. Brush the milk over the pastry and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
6 Spoon some of the syrup over the pie. Serve with cream or custard, if desired.
Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.

MICHELE’S NOTE: If you would like to give the pie some colour add a scatter of frozen raspberries or blueberries to the apples before wrapping in the pastry.

As seen in the Australian Women's Weekly July Issue 2011

Photography: Brett Stevens
Styling: David Morgan