• ½–¾ lb. (240–360 g.) short or rough puff pastry
• 1½ lb. (¾ k.) cooking apples
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 3 oz. (90 g.) sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, if liked

Peel, core and slice the apples, and put them in a pie dish just moistened with the water, adding the sugar and lemon rind. Make sure the top layer of apple is not sugared, as if the pastry touches the sugar it will be soggy. Place a pie funnel or an egg cup in the middle to support the crust.

Roll out the pastry. Cut an oval a little larger than the pie dish. From the remaining pastry cut a strip ½ inch (1 cm.) wide; dampen the edges of the pie dish and cover with the strip. Moisten the strip and place the pastry covering over it. Do not stretch the pastry. Pinch the edges firmly to the dish, and decorate with a fork. If no pie funnel is being used slit the pastry with the point of a knife in two places in the middle so that the steam can escape while it is baking. Place in the oven, preheated to 400° F., gas mark 6, for 1–1½ hours.

Dredge with caster sugar before serving.

If the pastry is cooked before the fruit is soft when tested with a knife through the slits in the pastry, move to the lowest shelf and continue cooking. If the pastry still browns too fast, cover lightly with foil or greaseproof paper.