Autumn family recipe: blackberry and apple pie

Method

Step 1

Forage for your blackberries! Hedgerows are full of juicy, plump blackberries in September. The ones you haven‘t foraged will be munched by birds, mice, foxes and even deer! Collect windfallen cooking apples from your garden or buy these from a local farm shop or supermarket. Some of our properties, like Priorwood Garden, harvest their crop for sale too.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. On a floured surface, roll out two-thirds of the pastry and use it to line a 23cm loose-bottom fluted tart tin, cutting off any scraps. Pop the tart in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes. Lightly prick the base with a fork, then fill it with baking paper and baking beans. Put it in the oven on a baking sheet for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, then bake for another 10 minutes until it looks sandy brown and crispy. Take it out of the oven.

Step 3

Pour the apples into a big bowl and microwave them on high for 4 minutes. Next, mix in the blackberries, sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour and cinnamon (if using), then fill the tart with this mixture.

Step 4

Roll out the remaining pastry and cut strips using a ruler to trace. Place the strips of pastry evenly on top of the fruit to make a criss-cross design.

Step 5

Mix the egg and milk together and use the mixture to brush the pie. After that, sprinkle 1 tbsp of sugar over the top. Put the pie back in the oven and bake it for one hour until it’s brown and bubbly. Let the pie cool for 30 minutes until it’s not too hot anymore.

Step 6

Serve the pie warm with some ice cream or custard and enjoy!