Pear and apple crumble pie

Serves 6–8

375 g ready-made or home-made shortcrust pastry

3 pears, peeled, cored and sliced

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

60 g (¼ cup) caster sugar

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

90 g (¾ cup) raisins

90 g (¾ cup) plain flour

95 g (½ cup) soft brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground ginger

90 g unsalted butter

thick (double) cream, to serve

❶    Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to cover the base and side of a 23 cm (top) 18 cm (base) 3 cm (deep) pie dish. Remove the top baking paper and invert the pastry into the dish. Trim the excess. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

❷    Put the sliced fruit in a large pan. Add the sugar, zest and 2 tablespoons water and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, or until the fruit is tender but still holding its shape. Remove from the heat, add the raisins and a pinch of salt and mix. Cool, then spoon into the pastry case.

❸    Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/ Gas 6) and preheat a baking tray. To make the topping, combine the flour, brown sugar and ginger in a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the fruit.

❹    Place the pie dish on the hot baking tray, bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) and cook the pie for 40 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cover the pie with foil halfway through if the top is browning too quickly. Serve warm with cream.