appleberry pie

method

Even though it has a strong British heritage, America has embraced the apple pie to the point that it’s now considered a quintessentially American dessert. American pies often look like the pies in cartoons and comics – big, robust, and full of attitude. The crumble-like topping sprinkled over my pie is an idea I’ve been playing about with, and I think it helps make it unique. Because huckleberries grow wild in Wyoming, I felt it was only right to use them, but feel free to use fresh or frozen blueberries in their place for equally delicious results. Assembling your pie is dead easy, and I’ll talk you through it step by step, but if you’d like to see how it’s done before you start, check out my website, www.jamieoliver.com/how-to, for a demonstration.

You can make your pastry by hand, or simply pulse all the ingredients in a food processor. If making by hand, sieve the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt from a height into a large mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to gently work the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Transfer a handful of this mixture to a separate bowl, rub it between your fingers to get larger crumbs, then put aside. Add the eggs and milk to the main mixture and gently work it together until you have a ball of pastry dough. Don’t work it too much at this stage – you want to keep it crumbly and short. Sprinkle a little flour over the pastry, then wrap it in plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, put the apples into a large saucepan with the zest and juice of 1 orange, a splash of water, and 5 tablespoons of sugar. Cover the pan and simmer on a medium heat for 10 minutes, until the apples have softened but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Scrunch a handful of berries in a bowl with the remaining sugar and the zest and juice of your remaining orange. Add the rest of the berries. Toss the cooled apples and their juices in a large bowl with the berries and the flour, then put aside.

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Take your ball of pastry out of the refrigerator and let it come up to room temperature. Get yourself a pie dish around 9 inches in diameter. Flour a clean surface and a rolling pin. Cut off a third of your pastry and put that piece to one side. Roll the rest into a circle just under ¼-inch thick, dusting with flour as you go. Roll the circle of pastry up over your rolling pin, then gently unroll it over the pie dish. Push it into the sides, letting any excess pastry hang over the edge. Tip in the fruit filling and brush all around the edge of the pastry with some of the beaten egg. Roll out the smaller under ¼-inch thick and use your rolling pin to lay it over the top of the pie. Brush it all over with more beaten egg, reserving a little. Sprinkle over the reserved crumble mixture and the turbinado sugar.

Trim down the scruffy edges of pastry hanging over the sides to a 1-inch overhang, then fold the overhang back over the pie, sealing the edge by twisting or crimping it as you like. Brush these folded edges with your remaining beaten egg. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cross into the middle of the pie. Place on the bottom of the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden and beautiful. Serve with ice cream, cream, or custard.

serves: 10-12

ingredients

For the pastry:
• 4¼ cups all-purpose flour,
plus extra for dusting
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• a pinch of sea salt
• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter, chilled
and cut into cubes
• 2 large eggs, preferably
free-range or organic
• a splash of milk

For the filling:
• 10 small Granny Smith
apples, peeled, cored,
and halved, 3 sliced
• juice and zest of 2 oranges
• 7 heaped tablespoons sugar
• 3½ cups huckleberries
or blueberries
• 1 heaped tablespoon
all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, preferably
free-range or organic, beaten
• a small handful of
turbinado sugar