Free Cooking Recipes

A classic recipe, this English single- crust apple pie is traditionally made with flaky pastry. ft should be served very hot with plenty of thick cream.
6 SERVINGS
FILLING
2 lb. cooking apples
2 oz. [1/4 cup] butter
4 oz. [2/3 cup] brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
5 fl. oz. [a cup] sweet cider
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
icing [confectioners'] sugar
PASTRY
6 oz. [11/4 cups] flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 oz. [1/4 cup] butter
2 oz. [1/4 cup] lard
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Directions:
1. Peel and core the apples and cut them into quarters. Melt the butter in a medium-sized frying-pan over a moderate heat and add the apples. Saute gently,
2. stirring occasionally until the apples are soft and light brown. Drain off any remaining butter.
3. Sprinkle the apples with the brown sugar, q. teaspoon of the cinnamon and the grated lemon rind and mix thoroughly. Put into a shallow 8-inch earthenware or glass pie dish. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to hot 425 F (Gas Mark 7, 220C).
5. To make the pastry, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt. Divide the butter into two pieces and add one piece to the flour. With your fingertips, rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. With a knife, mix in the water to form a firm dough.
6. Put the dough on a floured hoard and with your hands shape it into a square. Roll out the dough into an oblong and dot two-thirds of it with small pieces of half the lard. Fold over one- third of the pastry and then the other third to make a neat, square parcel. Press the edges with the rolling-pin to seal.
7. Turn the pastry round so that the sealed ends are facing you and roll out again into an oblong. Dot with pieces of the remaining lard, fold in three, seal the edges, turn the pastry and roll out again. Repeat this process with the remaining butter. Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
8. Roll out the pastry, fold again in three, and, with your hands, shape quickly into a round. Roll out into a circle slightly larger than the pie dish and, using the rolling pin, lay the pastry on the pie dish. Trim the excess pastry with a sharp knife. Crimp the edge of the pastry with your thumb and forefinger to make a pattern.
9. From the surplus pastry make a rose to decorate the centre of the pie. Bake this separately. Bake the pie in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.