Apple Crumble

WE have had a surfeit of Apple stories in the past few days following Steve Job’s demise. As my sister had posted on Facebook, “Even God plucks the best Apples…” But that was about apples in the digital world. In parts of the world, the real world in which we all reside, it’s the apple-picking season as orchards are filled with the ripening fruit. But out here in Bangalore where apples don’t grow, I must content myself with picking apples from the fruit bowl and turning them into something delectable – this time, a pie with a crumbly top.
For a 9-inch pie dish, combine 195 gm flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt, half a cup soft, unsalted butter, 50 gm sugar and one egg lightly beaten. Mix lightly. Refrigerate the dough for about half an hour and then press into the pie dish evenly.

For the filling, peel and slice four apples. Sprinkle half a cup of sugar, a few drops of lemon juice, a teaspoon of cinnamon powder and a dash of vanilla. Toss to coat the fruit. Throw in a handful of raisins.

Make a crumble by combining a cup of flour, half a cup of brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and half a cup of soft butter. With fingers mix lightly till crumbly.
Fill the pie dish evenly with the apple mixture and top it with the crumble. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C for about 50 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream or fresh cream.