Apple Pie

Cut the butter into the flour

Whisk the flour, salt and sugar together, then rub in the cold cubed butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized lumps.

Bring the dough together

Drizzle in the ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough just holds together when pressed.

Chill the dough

Divide the dough in two, shape into discs, wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Toss the filling

Toss the sliced apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon and lemon juice until evenly coated.

Line the pie dish

Roll out one disc of dough and fit it into a 23cm pie dish, letting the excess hang over the edge.

Fill and top the pie

Pile in the apple filling, roll out the second disc for the top crust, and crimp the edges together, cutting a few steam vents in the top.

Bake the pie

Brush the top with beaten egg and bake at 200°C for twenty minutes, then lower to 180°C and bake until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles through the vents, about thirty-five more minutes.

Cool before slicing

Let the pie cool on a rack for at least two hours so the filling sets before slicing.