Old Fashioned English Apple Pie With a Kiss and a Squeeze!

Ingredients

Pastry

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons caster sugar
• 125 g butter
• cold water

Filling

• 750 g cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 4 tablespoons sultanas or raisins
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 juice and  lemon, zest of, finely grated
• butter, for greasing the pie dish

To Finish

• milk
• caster sugar

To Serve

• 12 ounces mature cheddar cheese or wensleydale cheese, cut into wedges

Directions

1. 1

   To prepare the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar. Add the butter in pieces and rub into the flour with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in enough water to hold the mixture together, then form into a smooth ball.

2. 2

   Wrap in foil or grease-proof paper and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Divide the dough into two and roll out one half on a floured board into a circle to fit the base of a well greased 20cm/8inch pie dish.

4. 4

   Put the apples in a mixing bowl, then stir in the remaining filling ingredients. Spoon into the dough lined pie dish. Roll out the remaining dough into a circle to form the lid. Lay over the filling, pressing down and sealing the edge with water. Flute the edge with your fingers or crimp with the prongs of a fork. Brush with a little milk and dredge with caster sugar. Make a slit in the centre of the pie for the steam to escape, or use a pie funnel.

5. 5

   Bake on a baking sheet in the centre of a hot oven (200 degrees C/400 degrees F) for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to moderate (180 C/350 F) and continue baking for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. If the pastry starts to brown too quickly, cover the top with some greaseproof paper.

6. 6

   Allow to cool slightly for 5 minutes before serving.

7. 7

   Serve with wedges of cheese, or with cream, custard or ice cream.