My apple pie.

On Sunday, all over the US, people will be celebrating National Pie Day.

I’m joining JoJo’s Pie party with our family favourite - apple pie.

JoJo has asked that we share our pastry/pie crust recipes, here’s  mine:

8oz plain flour; 2oz butter; 2oz white fat (Trex or Crisco); a pinch of salt & cold water to mix as needed.

Sift the salt and flour into a bowl then tip it all into your food processor, add the fats and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of really cold water to bring it all together.

Turn out onto a floured pastry board and with your hands form the dough into a smooth ball.

Wrap the dough in cling film (Saran wrap) and refrigerate for about 25 minutes.

To make a deep dish fruit pie, divide the dough roughly into 2 parts. On a floured board  roll out one half to fit the pie dish with a slight overlap, add pie filling,  roll out remaining dough and cover the dish.

Crimp the edges together, roll out remaining pastry bits and press out shapes with pastry cutters or cut into strips, to create leaves, which is what my Nana & Mum always did. With a sharp knife make several cuts in the pastry lid to let out the steam.

Brush the entire lid with milk and sprinkle caster sugar over to ensure a crispy surface when baked.

Bake for 30 minutes at 200c or 400F.

For a tasty filling I always use 6 granny smith apples, (peeled, cored and finely sliced), 2 oz each of golden caster & soft brown sugars, & a pinch of cinnamon.

Confused about English Imperial/Metric/US equivalent measurements?
Click here for comprehensive conversion tables.

To quote Miss Jane Austen:

“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”

P.S.

I had planned on using these wonderful Williams Sonoma pastry cutters that my dear friend Sarah @ Hyacinths For The Soul sent to me recently but as I wanted to show you our family’s traditional apple pie, will save them for another time.