Apple Pie (Ulster)

Warm apple pie is a seasonal delight. This hearty version will happily feed a crowd.

Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached (225 g)
½ cup Irish butter unsalted, room temperature (130 g)
1 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. caster sugar
3 Tbsp. water or milk, cold (45 mL)

Filling:
4 large (1½ lbs) bramley cooking apples (675 g)
6 Tbsp. caster sugar (75 g)
cloves, freshly ground (optional)

Glaze:
milk to glaze or egg yolk mixed with milk

Sift the flour in to a large mixing bowl along with the salt and caster sugar. With a knife cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour or hold the block of butter and with a butter knife cut slivers off into the flour.

Rub the soft butter into the flour to create a breadcrumb like consistency. The key to a light pastry is to rub the butter into the flour while holding your hands above the bowl. This allows the flour to fall keeping air in the mixture and preventing a tough pastry.

Once the butter is combined add the water or milk and mix with your hand in a claw shape to bring the mixture clings together. Empty the bowl out onto a floured work surface and fold to bring all the mixture together into a smooth pastry.

Wrap pastry in clingfilm and place in your fridge to rest for approximately 20 minutes.

While the pastry is resting you can preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C, Gas Mark 6).

Wash, peel and core your cooking apples then slice them and place in a bowl. You can sprinkle a little lemon juice over them to prevent them browning if you like but don't put them in a bowl of water. They will just absorb the water and you will loose a lot of flavour.

Once this is complete you can take your pastry out and divide it into two balls, one slightly bigger than the other. The small pastry ball will be used for the base while the bigger will be used for the top as it will need to cover the mound of sliced cooking apples.

Roll out the smaller pastry while keeping the second covered. Roll it out to a 9" (23 cm) pie plate while leaving a little to overlap the edge.

Take half of your apple slices and layer them around the pastry covering the base. Sprinkle half of your sugar and a dusting of ground cloves over the layer then add the remaining apples followed by the last of the sugar and another dusting of cloves ensuring that space is left around the edge of the pastry.

Roll out the bigger ball of pasty to a size slightly bigger than the plate. Take a little bit of water or egg wash and rub it around the edge of the bottom layer of pastry. Transfer the top layer of pastry by rolling it over your rolling pin and folding it out over the apples. Ensure that there is a little bit of pastry hanging over the edge and pull and stretch to fit if needed.

With a sharp knife, hold the plate up with one hand and with the other hand run the edge of the blade around the plate to cut off the excess pastry. Take a fork or the edge of a butter knife and press all around the edge of the pastry to seal. You can be as decorative as you like to create a nice, sealed crust. With the remaining pastry you can create little decorations for the apple tarts like leaves.

Prod the pastry with a fork to allow the steam to release or cut four slits into the pastry near the center. Brush the pastry with a little milk or egg yolk mixed with milk to create a golden crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the pastry is nice and golden brown. When cooked the apples should be soft and sweet and the pastry should be fully cooked through and golden brown.

The apple tart can be served dusted with a little icing sugar and a nice bit of fresh whipped cream. It is always better with a nice Irish cup of tea.