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Mini Apple Pies With Brandy & Cherry Tomato

Chef

Chef Andrea Moio

Time

60 minutes

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

For the pastry
4 – 4 ½ cups pastry flour
255g cold butter, cut into pieces
1 ½ cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
7 tbsp iced water
pinch of salt as desired

For the filling
680g flavorful apples, such as fuji, pippen
170ml brandy
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
450ml water
1 lemon
½ cup of sugar
56g butter
3 tablespoons raisins
a little milk, to brush the pies

For the Jam
300g canned cherry tomatoes, drained 
½ cup sugar, more if/as needed
pinch of salt, as needed

Method

Combine cold butter pieces with flour, salt and sugar. Mix well in a food processor or other mixing device.

Add iced water, mixing in for just a few seconds to get a rough dough. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead by hand until it is smooth and well mixed. Wrap with a plastic wrap or place in a covered bowl, and leave to rest in a refrigerator.

Wash and peel the apples, cut them into small pieces and place them in a bowl with water and lemon juice.

Heat the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla in a non-stick saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar melts. Then, add water and brandy, and let the caramel cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it forms large bubbles.

Add butter to the caramel, and stir in to let it melt. Then, add the apples and raisins, cooking for a few minutes until the apples have slightly softened.
Remove from the heat, set aside, and let the mixture cool.

Drain the canned tomatoes, put them in a saucepan with the sugar and salt and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Then pour the jam into a jar and let it cool.

Lightly grease four 20 cm (8 inches) fluted tart tins with butter. Take the pastry from the refrigerator and place it on a floured work surface. Divide it into 8 small pieces. Roll each pastry piece to a thickness of about 5mm using a rolling pin.

Line the tins with four of the eight pieces, and put the apple mixture, dividing it equally, into the centre of each, forming a small mound. Cover with the remaining four pieces and press down the edges, cutting off any excess pastry. Crimp the pie crust of each pie using your index finger to push down on the edge of the pastry and the finger and thumb of your other hand to pinch the pastry on either side. With a sharp knife, make a few slits in each pie near the centre.

Brush the pies with milk and cook in a conventional oven at 160°C/320°F for 35 minutes. Once the apple pies are golden, turn the oven off and leave them to cool in the oven.

Take the cool pies out of the oven and lay them on individual dessert dishes, with the tomato jam on the side.

Enjoy!

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