APPLE & RHUBARB PIE

SERVES 10

“This pastry is pretty forgiving. Don’t worry if it tears while you’re working with it – just patch up any holes and no one will ever know. The most important thing is the quality of your fruit – in season.“– Michael James Begin this recipe 1 day ahead.

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored,

cut into 2cm pieces 600g rhubarb, cut into 2cm-thick slices Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

and 1 lemon 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped 1 cup (220g) raw caster sugar

(substitute regular caster sugar) 30g cornflour 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tbs demerara sugar Creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream,

to serve

SPELT PASTRY

250g wholegrain spelt flour

2/ 3 cup (100g) plain flour 225g cold unsalted butter, chopped 120g creme fraiche To make the filling, toss apple, rhubarb, orange and lemon zest and juice, vanilla pod and seeds, caster sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and stand overnight to macerate and soften.

The next day, strain liquid from macerated fruit into a saucepan, place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes or until thickened. Pour over fruit, discarding vanilla pod, and stir to coat and combine. Chill until needed.

For spelt pastry, stir flours and 1/2 tsp salt flakes in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until combined. Add butter and beat on low speed to a coarse, crumbly texture. Whisk creme fraiche and 2 tsp cold water together in a bowl, then slowly pour into flour mixture on low speed until just combined. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead to form a ball. Press into a 2cm-thick rectangle. Fold one-third of pastry into middle of rectangle, then fold the opposite one-third third over the top (as if folding a letter). Rotate pastry 90 degrees and roll out to a 2cm-thick rectangle. Repeat folding process, then enclose in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease a 24cm fluted, deep-sided, loose-based tart pan.

Halve the pastry. Roll out 1 half on a floured work surface to a 3mm-thick round. Gently lay round over prepared pan and press into base and side. Trim edges of pastry, leaving 2cm overlapping. Roll second pastry half between 2 sheets of floured baking paper to a 3mm-thick, 26cm-long rectangle. Chill lined pan and pastry rectangle for 30 minutes.

Fill lined pan with cooled fruit mixture and cut pastry rectangle lengthways into 1.2cm-thick strips. Form a lattice over the filling, pressing to join the strips to the tart base at the ends. Trim excess pastry. Brush top with egg and sprinkle over demerara sugar. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C and bake, covering with foil if pastry is getting too dark, for a further 40 minutes or until golden and filling is bubbling. Cool in pan.

Serve warm or at room temperature with creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.