Scrumpy Pie

I feel a little obligated to apologise for my blatant absence on the webwaves recently. The past few months have been pretty full on with various things and something had to take a step back. Luckily my blog is one of those wonderful things in my life that it doesn't matter whether I post daily or take a months break; coming back to it feels like slipping into a comfortable pair of slippers.



To make up for it today's post is about food. Do you forgive me?

Since moving to our new house (yes, I'm still calling it new even though it's been 5 months now) I can't help but feel as thought we've moved more into the sticks than we were before. Living in Derbyshire it's hard to find somewhere that isn't in the sticks.

It never felt more rural than the moment we realised that there was an apple tree growing wild on our dog walking route. Walking past it daily I slowly made the decision that I those apples weren't going to waste.

As soon as they were ready I hatched a plan of attack and set about convincing Mr M to help me get them down from the 8 foot high branches. It took a lot of clambering, a bit of stick throwing and one heart in mouth moment of slipping 2 feet down the tree, before we had enough to take home.

Safely nestled in the kitchen after a wash the apples were destined for only one thing: pastry. Such a wonderful discovery deserved to look beautiful so a simple galette was the only way to go. The recipe is a little "do it by eye" but it's nice and simple. The hardest part was making the pastry but you don't even have to do that.

I present to you: The Scrumpy Pie

Recipe

Ingredients:

5 large apples (you don't have to pick them yourself....)

4 Heaped table spoons of light brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 Sheet of ready rolled puff pastry

1 egg beaten

Method

Take two of your apples and cut them in half.

Thinly slice each half so you have half moon shapes apple pieces. While your slicing these you might want to store your sliced pieces in water or apple juice to stop them browning.

Put one tablespoon of sugar and your butter into a frying pan, melt together. 

Once melted add in your apple pieces. 

Cook until the apple goes soft. Allow to cool.

Take your other three apples, peel and pop in a pan.

Add the rest of your sugar and cook down into a purée, it should take about ten minutes. It doesn't need to lump free, in fact the lumpier the better. Allow to cool. 

Pop your oven on to preheat at 200° 

Roll out your pastry and smother with your purée leaving an inch border.

On top of your purée, working from the centre out, wrap your cooled apple slices around each other making sure you stand them up so you can see the apple skin.

Once your apple rose is finished fold your pastry over so it's covering the outermost rose "petals".

Wash the pastry over with your egg and sprinkle with a little sugar. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until your pastry is cooked.

Now devour with cream or custard while it's still warm.