One-Crust Blackberry and Apple Pie

Rustic pies are a gift to the rushed cook!  The idea of simply wrapping your chosen fruit in some pastry and slinging it into the oven works for me, every time (and sometimes I don't bother to chill the pastry either!).   Inspired by Delia Smith's gooseberry version, this is made from home grown apples and hedgerow blackberries.   The photo below isn't particularly brilliant, because the pie was so hot it steamed the lens of the camera, but husbands and sons have a very short fuse when it comes to waiting for a hot pud!   This pudding is perfect for windfall fruit, as it doesn't have to be perfect....

One Crust Blackberry and Apple Pie

One Crust Blackberry and Apple Pie

Pastry:

6oz/175g plain flour

Pinch of salt

3oz/75g butter, chilled (or spread, so it becomes dairy free)

Filling:

1 ½ lb/700g fruit – approx. 4 cooking apples plus 4oz/110g blackberries

3oz/75g soft light brown sugar

2 tablespoons semolina (not absolutely necessary!)

1 egg, separated

Demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and preheat a baking sheet. 

Make the pastry either by hand (rubbing the fat into the flour, then adding the egg), or in a processor .   If it is too dry, add a little more water.  Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes (the recipe says 30-40).  

Prepare the fruit – peel, core and chop the apples, wash the blackberries.   Toss in the light brown sugar to give an even coat.   Roll out the pastry on a sheet of non-stick parchment to give a large circle about 5mm/1/4” thick.   Brush the base with the egg yolk and sprinkle with the semolina.  Arrange the fruits in the middle of the circle, leaving a border of about 8cm/3 inches.   Use the sides of the paper to help lift the pastry over the fruit, folding the sides up and around so the juice doesn’t leak out.   If it gets the odd hole, just patch it up.   Brush the pastry with the egg white and sprinkle the Demerara sugar over.  Lift the parchment and the pie onto the sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden – check after 30, and if the pastry is still not quite cooked and the top brown, put some foil over the top and let it cook for another 5 minutes or so. 

Serve hot, sprinkled with Demerara sugar and lashings of custard or ice cream!