Gold in the Pan

Crostata di Mela in Padella

Frying Pan Apple Pie

I always seem to have some left-over bits and pieces in the fridge towards the end of the week... like this single serving of pre-made puff pastry! And what could you possibly make from that I hear you ask?... Well, something like this preferably speaking you might hear me say!

Everybody loves apple pie, especially if it is freshly made and hot from the oven like this one was! Quick, easy and delicious, this miniature version of the age-old favorite can be whipped up in just 30 minutes and is a lot of fun as well as a blast of flavor! Can you believe it was as easy as this to make?...

I started off by peeling, quartering and slicing 2 apples- I used one Braeburn and one Granny Smith for this, but you can use whichever happens to be your personal favorite of course. I popped them into my little frying pan with a pat of butter, a splash of water and a level teaspoon of cinnamon and gave them a stir as a high heat for 5-6 minutes, until the apple slices were golden brown and had soaked up the butter and water and had a slightly syrupy consistency.

I added just a little honey and deglazed the pan with a splash of brandy, gave the apple one  final stir and then set it aside to cool. I then turned the oven on to 300°F to pre-warm, rinsed out the frying pan and got ready for the next step... assembly time!

I cut a circle for the base of my pie and then cut the remaining pastry into strips. In went the base, on top went the now slightly cooled-down apples, and then on top went alternating strips in a cross pattern, which I pressed down gently at either end- don't worry, there is no need to be too precise here as the pastry has so much butter in it, that it will "melt" and meld itself together in the hot oven. Once the cross-pieces are in place, lay the remaining strips along the outer edge of the pan- round and round, ever further, overlapping until you have used everything that you have up!

First of all, pop your frying pan onto the stove top for 4-5 minutes, to get the base cooking from below, then pop it into your hot oven for a further 10 minutes!

10 minutes later, your pastry will have puffed up, crisped up and started to brown nicely... at this point, I sprinkled it with a little sugar and cinnamon and gave it a final 2-3 minutes under the broiler to finish it off... tutto finito! What a way to end a lovely Winter supper! Give it a go and see for yourself! You're going to love it!