FOR THE PASTRY
350 g Flour
1 1/2 ts Salt
180 g Cold butter
1 Free-range egg yolk; lightly
-beaten
-FOR THE FILLING-
30 ml Olive oil
350 g Onion; chopped
450 g Eating apples; (Cox’s if
-possible),
; peeled and cored
285 g Cooked; peeled chestnuts
(285 to 325)
1 ts Chopped fresh thyme or
-1/2tsp dried
1 ts Chopped fresh sage or 1/2tsp
-dried
3 Free-range eggs
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Milk for glazing
1. Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and run in the butter
until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Mix in the egg yolk and 5-6 tablespoons of cold water. Working
quickly, bring the mixture together until it forms a smooth dough.
3. Wrap in plastic film and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
before use.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Heat the oil in a
saute pan over a moderate heat and, cook the onion until golden brown.
5. Meanwhile chop the apples into small pieces (about 6mm / 1/4in).
Don’t use the food processor, or you might end up With a mush. Tip
these into a large bowl and add the onions.
6. Cut the prepared chestnuts into quarters and add them to the bowl
together with the herbs. Season well and mix thoroughly.
7. Beat two of the eggs, add these to the bowl and mix in well.
8. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and use it to line the bottom of
a non-stick, loose-bottomed, fluted 24cm / 9in flan tin. Fill with the
chestnut mixture, carefully smoothing it into a nice mound shape.
9. Roll out the rest of the pastry to make a lid. Place on top of the
pie, sealing the edges with a little water. Decorate the top of the
pie with pastry trimmings.
10. Beat the remaining egg with a little milk and use some of this to
glaze the top of the pie.
11. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. If you like, 10
minutes before the pie is cooked, carefully remove the sides of the
tin, brush the sides of the pie with the remaining egg glaze and
return to the oven to brown the sides. Serve hot with Cumberland
Sauce (see below).
Yields
1 servings