Aristocratic apple pie

The French term of "croustade" derives from the Provençal word "croustado" to mean "crust".

It now refers to many types of dishes of the French gastronomy, calling for a crisp shell (of puff pastry or potatoes for example) in which to cook fruits, meat or fish.

Apples are plentiful and cheap at that moment so make the most of Autumn's bounty with this simple but scrumptious pie recipe.

Croustade aux pommes

Serves 4-6

1kg yellow-fleshed eating apples

2-3 tablespoons Calvados

200g melted butter

I packet filo pastry - 250g

4 tablespoons sugar

Oven 180c, gas mark 6

1 Peel, core and slice the apples, sprinkle over the Calvados and leave to soak up the flavour for an hour or two. It is just to get an aroma - not to flavour the apples. Don't drown them!

2 Brush a tart tin with melted butter and line with a double layer of filo, leaving the extra pastry hanging over the edges. Brush with butter and layer another 2 sheets of pastry and repeat once more ( 6 layers in total). Cover with the apple, sprinkling in the sugar as you go. 

Cover with another double layer of filo, brush with butter and then fold and crumple all the overhanging edges on top of the pie. We are looking to achieve an unmade bed look! Brush with butter again.

3 Bake for 25-30 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Dust with sugar. Serve hot or warm with crème fraiche or good quality vanilla ice cream.

Et voila!