Apple Pie

Pastry: Put the flour, salt and icing sugar in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse to coarse crumbs. Drizzle in the water and blend until the pastry just starts to come together.

Tip onto the bench and bring together with your hands. Wrap and chill until firm enough to roll.

Filling: Peel, core and slice the apples. Place in a bowl with the lemon juice and zest, sugar and the spices. Toss. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and tip in the apples, scraping in all the sugar and spices. Cook until they begin to get a little colour then tip in the dried fruit and the brandy. Cook over a moderately high heat until the apples are easily pierced with a knife. Add the nuts and allow the filling to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 180 ̊C.

Pie: Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured bench until 1 cm wider than the pie dish. Cut a 1 cm wide strip to fit the edge of the dish. Put the pie funnel in the centre of the dish and spoon the fruit and any juices around it. Brush the pastry strip with water and press the wet side firmly onto the edge of the dish. Brush the strip with a little egg wash. Lay the pastry top on and use a fork to crimp the edges together. Cut a small hole to allow the funnel to poke out. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar. If the pastry is soft, refrigerate the pie until firm. Bake for about 40 minutes, until a good golden colour.

Serve with softly whipped cream, ice cream or custard.