Apple pie

Apple pie Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, together with a flat baking sheet.

Peel the apples and then, using a sharp knife, slice the flesh off from them in small pieces and drop it into a bowl. Mix in the cloves, lemon juice, 150g of the sugar and the cornflour. Set aside.

Lightly grease a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin approximately 4cm deep with the butter. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry to line the tin (don't make it too thin), allowing for a slight excess to flop over the rim.

Tip in the apples (which might look too many but, be assured, they will flop down as they cook) and lightly press them down with your hands.

Brush a little milk around the edge of the pastry, roll out the remaining one-third of pastry, but to a slightly thinner degree than the base. Carefully drape it over the apples and, with your fingers, lightly press the two pastry edges together.

With a sharp knife, cut through the joined edges almost flush up to the rim, knock up the pastry join to form a crinkled edge all the way around and decorate with the tines of a fork. Brush the surface with more milk and evenly sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar. Make 3-4 incisions in the centre of the pastry lid to allow steam to escape.

Place the pie on the baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes, Then reduce the temperature to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and continue to cook for a further 35-40 minutes, or until the pie crust is well stippled with semi-caramelised sugar crystals and that there is also clear evidence of burbling, golden apple juices erupting from within the pie, both through the central vents and around the edges too. Mind you, it is the intoxicating smell, above all, that tells you the thing is ready.

Leave to cool to lukewarm before unmoulding. Clotted cream is lovely with this.