Maureen's apple tart

Lightly grease an 8inch (20cm) flan tin or pastry dish.

Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the diced butter and use your fingers to rub the butter pieces into the flour. Keep doing this until they look like sand particles. Sprinkle over the sugar and mix in.

Add 3 tablespoons of cold water and mix again. Add a few drops more water if the dough doesn't come together. With your hands, form it into a dough, handling as little as possible. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for half an hour before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (gas mark 4).

Slice pastry dough in half, roll out into 2 circles, lining the tin with one. Place apple slices in the pastry base. Sprinkle over sugar, then top the tart with the other. Trim edges of pastry with a sharp knife and crimp to seal. Brush with a little egg and sprinkle with caster sugar (optional). Cut a X in the top to let out some steam while baking.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.