Apple and blackberry pie
from Around the Kitchen Table by Sophie Hansen and Annie Herron
Prep time: 30 mins, plus 1 hour chilling
Cook time: 50 mins
Serves 6
This pie is nothing fancy, just a simple, pure and homely thing. But that’s what makes it so lovely. The combination of apple and blackberry is a total winner – the blackberries taste extra good because they are extra painful to pick! However, feel free to use any fruit you like (poached quinces would be amazing). I used rye flour because I order it in bulk and always have lots to get through, but I actually find it adds depth, colour and interest to the dough. You can use plain (all-purpose) or other flour if you prefer. And finally, you’ll want to serve this with some gloopy, dollopy cream. Happy baking!
Pastry
1⅔ cups (200 g) rye flour, plus extra for dusting
⅓ cup (40 g) icing (confectioners’) sugar
150 g (5½ oz) chilled butter, cut into cubes
3 tsp iced water
1 egg, whisked
Filling
4 large apples
½ cup (110 g) white (granulated) sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (130 g) blackberries
To make the pastry, whisk the flour and sugar together in a bowl. Tip the mixture out onto a work surface and make a well in the centre. Add the butter and use the heels of your hands to bring everything together, adding a little of the iced water as you go. Keep smooshing it all together until you have a rough dough, with some pea-sized bits of butter throughout. Shape the dough into a disc, then wrap and chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
For the filling, peel, core and slice the apples. Place the apple in a saucepan with most of the sugar, the cinnamon and a splash of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes or until the apple has softened. Remove from the heat and set aside. (If time allows, chill the apple.)
Tip the apple into a 6 cup (1.5 litre) pie dish and sprinkle the blackberries over the top.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a large rectangle about 4 mm (3⁄16 inch) thick. Cut the pastry into long strips. Lay six or seven strips across the top of the apple mixture, then spin the pie dish 90 degrees and ‘lattice’ in the next layer of pastry strips.
Brush the egg over the top of the pie and sprinkle the remaining white sugar over the top. Place the pie in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Bake the pie for about 30–40 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.
Images and text from Around the Kitchen Table by Sophie Hansen and Annie Herron, photography by Sophie Hansen. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.
