This is Opa Gerrit’s recipe, translated.

Ingredients

• 300g sifted self raising flour
• 200g butter (room temperature)
• 160g castor sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• Peel from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1.8kg sour apples
• 50g raw sugar
• 3 teaspn cinnamon
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

What you will need

• Mixer
• 20cm round 8.5cm high (spring form or movable base) cake tin – this cake is high!
• Large bowl
• Cling wrap
• Rolling pin

What to do

Prepare the baking tin

1. Cut baking paper to line the base of the baking tin
2. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C

Make the filling

1. Peel, core and finely slice the apples. I find the thinner you slice them the better. I use a Dutch cheese slicer for this
2. Mix the lemon juice, raw sugar and cinnamon with the apples
3. Wrap and set aside for 1/2 an hour. This lets the apples sweat a little and dissolves the sugar

Make the pastry

1. Cut the butter into cubes
2. Mix the flour, butter, castor sugar and salt together until the mix contains fine crumbs
3. Add 2/3 of the egg and lemon rind and mix until it forms a dough
4. Take the mixture out onto a lightly floured bench and knead until smooth
5. Wrap and chill for 1/2 an hour

Line the tin

1. Cut 1/4 of the dough for the top latticing and set aside (approx 140g)
2. Cut another 1/4 of the dough and rol flatl to fit the base of the pan. Press the base into the pan
3. Roll out the remaining 1/2 of the dough to form the sides. Press into the pan

Fill the pie

1. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs into the base of the pie. These absorb any excess liquid
2. Pack the apple tightly into the pie. Squeeze of any excess juice and keep it
3. Add the excess juice with the 1/3 egg to form the glaze
4. Create the lattice effect with the remaining pastry
5. Lightly brush the glaze onto the lattice/apple
6. Place into the oven and bake for 75mins or until golden brown
7. Allow to cool in pan before serving