Old-School Apple Pie
This is straight-up gorgeous. The lightly sweetened pastry is a delight with the silky apple filling which, these days, I make with far less sugar. I find that citrus zest and juice is so delicious with apple and, despite the tartness, seems to enhance the fruit’s sweetness. 💡 The method in this recipe is designed to make a pie to serve 6-8 people. We recommend you stick to the measurements mentioned in the recipe for the best outcome.
Method
Based on 6 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Put all the citrus zest and juice into a large bowl. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, dropping them into the bowl as you do so, and tossing the apples in the juice occasionally.
Step 2
Transfer the apples and juice to a fairly large saucepan and add the sugar. Cook over a medium heat, stirring often, for around 15 minutes until the apples collapse into a silky golden purée (if you use some eating apples, they will stay chunkier). Taste for sweetness and stir in a little more sugar only if you think it needs it. Allow to cool completely before you make the pie.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 7. Put a baking tray inside to heat up. Have ready an oval pie dish, about 28 x 19cm. Divide the pastry into two pieces: roughly one-third for the top and two-thirds to line the base and sides of the dish. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece to the shape of your pie dish, until about 3mm thick. Use this to line the pie dish, allowing the excess pastry to overhang the rim.
Step 4
Scatter the ground almonds, if using, over the base of the pastry case, and lightly press in. They aren’t essential but they are a nice touch of flavour and texture in the base of the pie. Tip the cooled apple purée in and level it out.
Step 5
Roll out the other piece of pastry for the pie lid, again to about a 3mm thickness. Brush the rim of the pie dish with water. Lift the piece of pastry over the pie, trim off the excess from around the edge, then press the pastry edges together firmly to seal, all the way round, using a knife, a fork or your fingers.
Step 6
💡 If you want to roll out the pastry trimmings to cut out leaves – or even an apple – to decorate the top of the pie, do so now, sticking them on with a little water (or just spread the trimmings on a lightly floured small baking tray and bake as a little treat).
Step 7
Scatter another 1 tbsp sugar all over the pastry lid, and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Place the dish on the hot baking sheet in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4 and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the pastry is a rich golden brown.
Step 8
Let the pie sit for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it. Serve with custard, crème fraîche, cream or yoghurt.
- Ingredients
- Based on 6 servings
-
1.5kg Cooking Apples, such as Bramley 6x Sainsbury's British Bramley Cooking Apples Loose -
1 Orange, Finely Grated Zest And Juice 1x Sainsbury's Oranges -
1 Lemon, Finely Grated Zest And Juice 1x Sainsbury's Lemons -
40g Golden Caster Sugar, plus extra to finish 1x Sainsbury's Fairtrade Golden Caster Sugar 1kg -
2 tbsp Ground Almonds 1x Sainsbury's Ground Almonds 200g -
Custard, Crème Fraîche, Cream Or Yoghurt, to serve 1x Sainsbury's Vanilla Custard, Taste the Difference 500g -
Flour, to dust 1x Sainsbury's Plain Flour 1.5kg -
1 Block Sweet Shortcrust Pastry 1x Jus-Rol Shortcrust Pastry Block 500g