Pastis Gascon / Gascon

Pastis Gascon / Gascon Apple Pie Ingredients for 4 to 6 people in a 25cm tart dish 1 packet (12 sheets) filo pastry 80g sugar Icing sugar For the apple filling About 4-6 apples 3 tbsps sugar About 75g melted butter . 60 ml Armagnac (you can use calvados too but it wouldn’t be Gascon but Norman) Half a lemon Method Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (170C fan)/375F/ gas 5 Peel, core and quarter the apples, then slice thinly and set aside in a bowl tossed in a squeeze of lemon, 3 tablespoons of sugar and the Armagnac. Leave to macerate for up to one hour. Melt the butter. Brush the tart dish with melted butter. From the filo pastry pack, take a sheet, brush with melted butter and lay on the base of the dish. Press into the sides leaving the overlap hanging over the edge of the tin. Lay another buttered sheet at an angle to the first sheet and repeat three more times so that the pastry covers all round the edges. Keep the packet covered with a damp clean cloth to stop the pastry drying out. Spread the apple mixture over the base. Brush a sheet of filo with butter and sprinkle with sugar (about a teaspoon). Scrunch it up like a tissue and pop it on top of the apples. Repeat with the remaining filo pastry. You’re aiming to create height and texture. The sugar on the pastry makes it very crispy and sweet. Pop it into the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn on the corners but is golden all over. The tart is delicious cold or warm – sprinkled with icing sugar (and you can also sprinkle a little more Armagnac if you wish.