Mmmm, pie

There are a lot of ways to make an apple pie. When I was a kid, the technique we usually used on Pie Night (the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving) was to toss the apples in cinnamon sugar and bake. However, it never really managed to work out, usually putting out big sloppy puddles of apple juice in the bottom of the pie pan and making the crust soggy.

When the controversial 1997 edition of The Joy Of Cooking came out, I found an unusual recipe. Cooking the apples down to a compote solves the juicing problem to a very great extent. You won't get the same glossy gel that commercial pie fillings give -- more of a near-applesauce texture -- but the flavor will be excellent as long as you pick the right apple. I'm not going to give a pie crust recipe here, since it's a skill I've never bothered with; pick one you like, either made from scratch or commercial.

• Pastry for a two-crust pie
• 1.5kg (3lb) apples (Granny Smith, Cortland, McIntosh, Northern Spy, or other pie apple)
• 3/4c white sugar
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or 3/4 tsp Ceylon cinnamon)
• 1/8 tsp salt

1. Peel and cut the apples into slices 1cm or so thick.
2. Melt butter in the bottom of a pan; add apples and toss to coat. Cook until they start to exude juice.
3. Add sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook over high heat until the juices thicken and the apples are cooked through but not turning to sauce.
4. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Place the bottom crust in a 9in/22cm pie plate and add the apples. Cover the pie with the top piece of pie crust and crimp and seal the edges (a milk wash should be fine). Garnish the top with a milk wash and a sprinkle of coarse sugar.
5. Bake 30-40 minutes until the contents are bubbling and the top crust is browned. Cool and serve.