apples and plums

We are blessed to have a chemical-free apple and stone fruit orchard 10 minutes drive from our house, I take River and Sol to pick fruit from the trees. The orchard has a magical feeling to it. Behind tall pressed metal gates there are rolling grassy hills covered with fruit trees. The sight of their branches hanging with ripe fruit is like a picture book.

Pete went to the orchard recently and came home with a bag of exquisite plums and new season apples.

 Despite the warm summer weather, River asked ‘can we make an apple pie?’

Sounded good to me.

With such beautiful plums and more Drum Drum farm biodynamic blueberries in the house alongside the apples it made perfect sense to me that the trio of fruit go in the pie.

Using my super talented, super gorgeous friend Mette’s apple pie recipe the pie was created. And devoured. Devoured before a photo for this post was taken. Apologies. Good reason to make another!

Mette’s recipe is THE BEST apple pie recipe I have ever used.

Here it is for you. I've left the recipe written in 'Mette speak' all the exclamation marks capture her exuberance for life, friends and family.

Perhaps you’d like to make a new season apple pie this weekend…heavenly!

Mette’s Apple Pie                                     

Quick flaky pastry

For 1 thinly rolled double crust, 25 cm pie

1 ¼ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

125 g cold butter

About ½ cup of milk (I found this a little too much so add a bit then add some more if needed. N)

1 tsp vinegar

Mix the flour and baking powder. Grate butter or cut it into about 25 small cubes, and rub or cut into the flour, by hand. Pieces of butter should be visible when pastry is rolled out. Mix liquids and add to the flour mixture until it forms a fairly stiff dough. Roll out thinly and use as required.

For a 25 cm pie

1 quantity quick flaky pastry!

½ cup of sugar

2 tbls flour

4-6 apples

25 g. Butter,melted

Ground cloves –if you like !

Make once the recipe of the pastry

Cut the pastry in1/2, then roll it out thinly. Put one piece in the dish-, with its edges hanging over edge.

Put sugar and flour in bowl –corsly shred or slice the peeled or unpeeled apples.- toss the apples in the sugar and flour. Pour the meltet butter over apples, add the cloves if you like them. Put apples in dish. Press top layer of dough on top!. Make holes in dough. Bake at 220 degress- or until golden.                

Enjoy !!!! 

Happy weekend to everyone.

Ps. Oh and by the way feel free to leave a comment, I know you’re there. It is so quiet in those comment boxes I'd love to read your words...well, the positive ones anyway :)