Apple Meringue Pie

Ingredients

• 400g shortcrust pastry (ready-made is fine)
• 700g Bramley apples
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp passion fruit vinegar or use lemon juice
• 2 eggs

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6. Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm loose-bottomed flan tin. Put in the fridge and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

Peel, core and cube the apples. Place in a saucepan with 25g of the caster sugar, the passion fruit vinegar or lemon juice and 2 tbsp water. Cook gently for about 10–15 minutes until softened, then allow to cool.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and line it with baking paper and weigh down with some baking beans. Bake blind for 10–15 minutes. Remove the paper and the beans, and bake for a further 5 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven, and reduce oven temperature to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.

Separate the eggs. Add the yolks to the cooled, cooked apples and stir to mix well. For the meringue, whisk the egg whites until stiff, and gradually add the remaining caster sugar.

Spoon apple mix into the flan case, top with the meringue, creating peaks, then cook in the oven for 15–20 minutes until golden.
Cool for a while before serving.