Though the bible does mention the ‘tapuach’ (Hebrew for apple), many authorities believe the bible is referring to a different fruit than the modern-day apple, perhaps a quince or some kind of citrus, firstly because at the time of the bible apples grew wild and weren’t yet easily cultivated in tropical areas like Israel and Egypt. But don’t let the lack of biblical connection put you off the apple, Israel produces more than 60 thousand tons of apples annually.
Filling:
- 5-6 Bramley Apples (or baking apple of your choice), peeled and thinly sliced, equalling about four cups
- 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 45g (1/4 cup) corn starch
- 55g (1/4 cup) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 1 recipe Flaky pie dough for a 23 cm double pie crust, click here for recipe
Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
Prepare pie crust and let it chill in fridge until firm, about 45 minutes and up to two days.
Combine sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch in a large bowl. Add apples and toss until dry ingredients coat the apples completely.
Preheat oven to 200 C.
On a floured surface, or between two sheets of parchment paper, using a floured rolling pin, roll one piece of the dough out into a 25-26cm circle. Place in a 23cm pie plate. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1cm overhang.
Spoon in apple filling and place butter pieces on top.
Roll out the second piece of dough into a 25cm circle. Place on top of filling. Crimp the layers together.
Brush top with egg wash, cut steam slits in top crust, and sprinkle with sugar.
Place pie on centre rack of oven, bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 180 C. Bake an additional 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature on a rack.
