Saturday, December 8, 2007

NORA'S APPLE PIE


I've made apple pie with so many twists in the past, I think I could write a book. I love apple pie with a top and bottom crust - with more satisfying pastry to eat, but then again......there is lots of apple filling when it is made in a deep dish with just a top crust!
I bought a collection of enamelled plates and dishes several years ago before they became popular with food stylists. If you go to the hardware shop you will be able to pick these up and they are relatively inexpensive.
Nora Sands came to the publics attention through Jamie Oliver's School Dinners Campaign and has now written her own cookery book. There are several tempting recipes - Sticky Messy Ribs, Stir-fry with Oodles of Noodles or how about Choca-block?
There is a section called 'Have you seen these vegetables'? or how about 'Make friends with your vegetables'.
It isn't easy finding time to cook with your children but the recipes in this book are fun, easy to make and it's good, honest family food.
Now, back to the apple pie. The cooking apples and granny smith apples combination worked well or you could use Cox's apples.

The pastry is buttery and crisp - unfortunately it doesn't cut very well without breaking up. Perhaps it would be better if the pastry is gently scored into portions before baking.
I've made this pie several times now and I can't make up my mind whether its the pastry I love, the apples or the cinnamon. Whatever it is, we just love it!

NORA'S DINNERS

ISBN 0007206615 - Page 136

Serves: 4

400g plain flour, pinch of salt, 160g butter, 4 tablespoons cold water, 3 medium cooking apples, 4 granny smith apples, 160g caster sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, small amount of milk for brushing the pastry.
You will need: 23cm round baking dish.

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7.
2. Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and salt until it looks like breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in the cold water. Bring together to make a ball of dough. Wrap the pastry in cling film and put into the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Peel and core the apples, slice the apple thinly.
4. Take pastry dough out of the fridge and roll into a circle a little bit bigger than the widest part of your dish. Use the excess pastry to make a rim around the edge of the baking dish. Brush this with cold water.
5. Put the sliced apples into the baking dish. Sprinkle the 160g sugar and the cinnamon over the top of the apples and mix it all in.
6. Lay your rolled pastry over the top and pinch the edges down around the edge of the baking dish. Cut away any excess pastry.
7. With a fork make some holes in the pastry so that the steam from the apples can escape during cooking.
8. Put the pie in the fridge for 20 minutes for the pastry to rest.
9. Brush the top of the pie with milk and sprinkle with a little caster sugar.
10.Bake for 10 minutes then turn the oven down to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 cook for another 30 minutes.
11. Serve with ice cream.

1 comment:

  1. I am pleased that this posting and photograph meets your high standards. However these are both copyrighted and as such if you fail to remove the post and photograph you will be sent an invoice for £100.

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