"Irish Apple Pie varies from house to house, and the technique has been passed from mother to daughter in farmhouses all over the country for generations." - Darina Allen author of "Forgotten Skills of Cooking," (Kyle Books, 2009) Daria has also reissued her cookbook "Irish Tradional Cooking"
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 tablespoons Kerrygold
- Irish butter
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar, divided
- 1 egg
- About 1/4 to 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 to 2 cooking apples
- 2 to 3 cloves, optional
- Egg wash
- 10-inch ovenproof plate
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Sift flour and baking powder into bowl. Rub in butter with your fingertips until it resembles the texture of bread crumbs then add 1/3 cup superfine sugar. Make a well in the center and mix to a soft dough with beaten egg and enough milk to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a board divide in two. Put one half onto an ovenproof plate and press it out with floured fingers to cover the base.
Peel, core, and chop up apples. Place them on the dough and tuck in cloves, if using. Sprinkle over some or all remaining sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apples. Roll out the second half of the pastry and fit it on top - easier said than done as this "pastry" is more like scone dough and as a result is very soft. Press the sides together, cut a slit through the lid, egg wash, and bake for about 40 minutes or until cooked through and nicely browned on top. Dredge with superfine sugar and serve warm with raw sugar and softly whipped cream.