Destitute Gourmet

Butter Crust Apple Pie

Apple pie is a classic family dessert. To ensure you have crispy not soggy pastry on the bottom use a metal pie dish. Metal conducts the heat much more efficiently than your old china pie dish so will give a crispier result.

Serves 8 –10

500 g plain flour
275 g cold butter, cubed
approx ¼ cup cold water

For the filling

900 g approximately cooking apples, I use Ballarats
6 whole cloves
scant ½ cup sugar

Metal pie dish approx 25cm diameter and approx 5 cm deep

Preheat the oven to 200 °

In a bowl or processor rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Add just enough cold water so that when you squeeze the dough it holds together. 

Turn it onto the bench and squeeze it into a big ball. Do not knead. Wrap in plastic and chill in the fridge for ½ an hour.

While the pastry is chilling peel, core and slice the apples. Don't worry if they begin to turn brown. 

When the pastry has chilled, roll 2/3 out to 5 mm thickness and line the tin leaving the extra pastry hanging over the edges.

Sprinkle a good handful of the sugar over the pastry lining the tin. Stir the remaining sugar into the sliced apple. Toss in the cloves then pile the sugary apple slices into the pastry case, piling it carefully so it doesn't spill over the side.

Roll the remaining pastry to a circle approx 5 mm thick and large enough to cover the top of the pie. Gently lay it over the filling and press firmly around the rim to seal the edges  Trim off the excess pastry with a serrated knife and crimp the sides using your fingers or press them with the tines of a fork to decorate.

Cut a cross in the top to allow steam to escape, and lift the pie dish onto a baking tray before placing in the oven. The tray will catch any juices that escape and will enable you to lift the hot pie from the oven without damaging the pastry edges. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Serve warm or cold with cream, ice cream  or custard – or all 3