Pies And Tarts Recipes - Pear and Apple Crumble Pie

Ingredients

• 3 firm pears

• 4 cooking apples

• 175g/1 cup caster sugar

• 30ml/2 tbsp corn-flour

• 1.5ml/1.4 tsp salt

• grated rind of 1 lemon

• 30ml/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 75g/generous 1/2 cup raisins

• 75g/3/4 cup plain flour

• 5ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 75g/6 tbsp cold butter, cut in pieces

FOR THE PASTRY

• 15Og/1 1/4 cups plain flour

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp salt

• 65g/5 tbsp cold vegetable fat or lard, cut in pieces

• 30ml/2 tbsp iced water

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Method:

1. For the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the fat and  rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in enough water to bind. Form into a ball, roll out, and use to line a 23cm/9in pie dish, leaving a 1cm/1/2in overhang. Fold this under for double thickness. Flute the edge, then chill.

2. Preheat a baking sheet at 230'C/ 450'F /Gas 8. Peel, core and slice the fruit. Combine in a bowl with one-third of the sugar, the corn-flour, salt, lemon rind and juice, and raisins.

3. For the crumble topping, combine the remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter in a bowl. Rub in until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

4. Spoon the filling into the pastry case. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top.

5. Bake on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180'C/350'F/Gas 4. Cover the pie loosely with foil and bake until browned, 35-40 minutes more.