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You will need a deep, enamelled and rimmed traditional pie dish, measuring 32 cm x 24 cm (12 in x 9 in) from one edge of the rim to the other, and two pie raisers.
For the pastry
200 g (8 oz) plain flour
1 tsp icing sugar
125 g (5 oz) cold unsalted butter, roughly cubed
1 large free range egg yolk
6-8 large Bramley apples (about 2.5 kg/5 lb 6 oz)
125 g (5 oz) unrefined caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle
1 large free range egg white, lightly whisked
Preheat oven to 180 C, 350 F or gas mark 4. It’s easiest to make the pastry in a food processor: whizz the flour, icing sugar and a pinch of sea salt together for a few seconds, then add the butter. Whizz for another few seconds, until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Beat the egg yolk and 3 tbsp of ice-cold water together and pour it into the flour mixture. Whizz until it has collected into a ball around the spindle. Take out, wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.
Allow pastry to return to cool room temperature, then roll it out 4 or 5 mm (1/4 in) thick. Upturn the pie dish onto the centre of the pastry and use it as a template, adding an extra inch all the way round, and cut out the top crust. From the remnants of the pastry, cut out a 5 cm (2 in) wide strip, long enough to go round the dish. Arrange it so it covers both the rim and a little way down the sides of the dish. Press it into place, making joins where necessary. Put 2 pie raisers in the middle of the dish.
Quarter, core and peel the apples, then cut into chunky slices. Put a layer into the dish, sprinkle generously with some of the sugar, then continue layering and sugaring them until they form a big heap around the pie raisers. Brush the pastry rim with cold water, then cover with the top crust. Using forefingers and thumbs, pinch the pastry rim and crust together, crimping to make a tight seal.
Using a small, sharp knife make a few slashes in the top crust, then put the pie in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes, and up to 8 hours, lightly covered with cling film if left for a while.
Just before the pie goes in the oven, brush the top crust with the egg white, and then sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool before serving.
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