Grandma’s Apple Pie

Ingredients

Filling

750g (5 medium) Granny Smith apples
1kg (5 large) Pink Lady, Jazz or Kanzi apples
2/3 cup white sugar
1 tbs corn flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Pastry

3 cups plain flour
1 cup icing sugar
250g butter, chilled, cut into cubes
2 egg yolks
2 tbs chilled water

To Serve

Softly whipped cream

Method

1.  For the pastry; Combine flour, icing sugar and butter in food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the yolks and water, add to processor. Process until pastry almost comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured bench, bring together. Knead gently until smooth. Remove one-third. Shape both pieces into rounds and flatten so each is about 2cm-thick.
2. Roll the large piece of pastry out on a sheet baking paper to a 32cm round. Use to line a 6cm deep, 22cm base, loose base pie pan (see tip). Use a pastry brush to gently press the pastry into the sides and even out where necessary. Don’t trim the excess. Roll the smaller piece pastry between baking paper to a 26cm round. Refrigerate both while preparing the filling.
3. Peel, quarter and core the apples, 2-3 at a time. Cut each into 4 wedges, about 11/2cm-thick. Arrange over the base of a large microwave-safe plate in a single layer. Cover with wrap. Microwave, on High/100% for 3-4 minutes until apples almost tender. Stand covered 3 minutes. Drain any juices, transfer apples to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining apples. Cover bowl with a clean tea-towel and set aside to cool.
4. Place a flat tray in the oven (see tip). Preheat oven and tray 200°C fan forced (see tip). Stir ½ cup of the white sugar, corn flour and cinnamon together. Sprinkle over the apples, stir to coat all the apples. Spoon immediately into the pie pan. Top with pastry lid, rolling the edges together.
5. Brush the top of the pie with egg white, sprinkle with remaining white sugar. Cut 6 slits in the top of the pie. Place onto the hot tray in the oven. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C fan forced, bake further 40-45 minutes until golden. Stand 15 minutes before cutting into pieces to serve. Serve with cream, ice cream or custard.

Tip You can bake this pie in a 22cm(base) springform or deep pie plate if you don’t have a loose base pie pan.

Tip This pastry is very forgiving, if it breaks while putting into the pan, don’t be concerned just press back together with fingertips and use pastry brush to even it out.

Tip Position the oven shelf and tray on the bottom rung of the oven before preheating. As the pie cooks for around 1 hour, this ensures the pastry wont brown too quickly.

Tip Its important to let the pie stand before cutting, this gives the pectin in the apples a chance to set so juices don’t run free.

Tip On a warm day or if pastry is soft, wrap separately in baking paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes at the end of step 1 if necessary.