8 Servings
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter,cubed
1 tsp white vinegar
Filling:
8 Northern Spy apples
2 tbsp lemon,juice
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Using pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until in coarse crumbs. In measuring cup, stir vinegar with enough ice water to make 1/4 cup (50 mL).
Drizzle over flour mixture, stirring with fork until dough holds together when pressed and adding a few more drops of water if necessary.
Press into ball; flatten into disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 3 days.
Filling:
Meanwhile, peel, quarter and core apples; cut in half lengthwise. In bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. In 8-inch (20 cm) cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add sugar; cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until starting to bubble. Remove from heat. Discarding juice, arrange layer of apples, flat side down, in concentric circles in syrup of pan. Layer remaining apples over top to cover first layer evenly. Cook over medium heat, basting with bubbling syrup, for about 15 minutes or until apples begin to soften and syrup starts to thicken. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until apples in top layer are just tender. Remove from heat; let cool for 5 minutes.
Assembly/final steps:
Meanwhile, on lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 10-inch (25 cm) circle; cut 4 small steam vents at centre. Loosely roll pastry around rolling pin; unroll over apples. Trim pastry and press edge down between apples and pan. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 4 minutes. Invert heatproof serving plate over pastry. Wearing oven mitts, grasp plate and pan; invert onto plate. With tongs, quickly arrange apples stuck in pan over top. Serve warm.
