When I was in my teens and out of home, I had to very quickly learn how to eat when there isn’t much money. In my early 20s, I prided myself on being able to make dinner for four people for under five bucks – something I think inflation has ensured I probably could never do again!
Having said that, I just had like, five ideas. Anyway.
I always made things from scratch (except pasta, heaven help me) even while at full-time uni and at full-time weekend nightclub partying. It’s stood me in good stead even though I have slightly more than the strict budget days of old (and the I don’t have to shop at the supermarket at 8.45pm to get the marked-down specials), and I still prefer humble, hearty cooking than to fancy frou-frou bits. I’ll leave the frou frou to the experts.
This here is basically flour, salt, butter, apples, cinnamon, and sugar. That’s all you need to make a boring fruit into a cheap dessert that tastes like anything but.
Because I’m a pig, I have to have it with both cream and custard, sometimes ice cream, and sometimes cold out of the fridge. But nothing beats apple pie crust straight out the oven. Yum!
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PinDescription
A cheap, easy recipe for apple pie – a frugal favourite.
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1/4 cup icing sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2/3 cups unsalted butter
- 4–5 teaspoons cold water
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 4–5 Large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1/4 cup caster sugar (for filling)
- 100g butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, rub in the butter to the flour, icing sugar, and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Bit by bit, add the water and mix until it starts to come together.
- Turn out onto the bench and knead until you get a pliable dough.
- Wrap the dough in a non-stick wrap and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- When ready to roll out the dough, divide it in half.
- Roll one half out onto a floured surface until slightly larger than your pie plate. Transfer to pie plate and trim extra. You can pre-cook the bottom here so it doesn’t go soggy with the filling, or leave it as is. To pre-cook, prick with a fork and pop in the oven for 10 minutes or so just until it is dry but not fully cooked. You can also add baking beads.
- On the base of the pie, layer the apples, cinnamon and sugar with dots of butter throughout.
- Roll out the pie top and transfer to the pie. Press down at the edges to ensure a good seal. Poke a hole in the top for the steam to escape.
- Brush the top with beaten egg, milk, or cream, and sprinkle with a little granulated sugar.
- Bake in a medium oven (about 180C) until filling is cooked through and the top is golden brown.
Keywords: easy apple pie, simple apple pie
Hi Veggie Mama, Could I trouble you for a recipe if you have one? I’m one of those people that needs instructions. Oh to be a natural cook 🙂
Oops, it mustn’t have been displaying properly for me (and I hadn’t had my coffee yet lol), its all good now!
I’m so sorry! Should be up now x
I love this – an oldie but a goodie! Who needs frou frou when you can have apple pie?!
Saving this stat. Might attempt to make on the weekend! Shall impress the husby I’m sure!
Yuuuum- I love it cold right out of the fridge best x
hold the cream, but throw on the icecream and custard please.
I’m so baking this baby next week! And I will have it for dinner at least twice and maybe lunch on Wednesday. Wow.
wow. I’m a cream girl, double thick thanks. And Imma gonna bake this baby this coming week and have it for dinner at least twice and probably lunch on Wednesday. Thank you gorgeous!
I love ice cream with my apple desserts. Hot and col all the way.
DELISH! I love a good apple pie and in all honest I think the less fancy they are the better!
Oh and I need icecream and custard!
I’ve never thought of apple pie as frugal because it tastes so darn rich! I’ll be sure to try your recipe, lovely. x