Peach and Apricot Amaretti Pie

Ingredients

• Shortcrust Pastry
• 7oz/200g plain flour or all purpose flour
• 4oz/110g butter, cubed or an equal mix of butter and lard
• 2-3 tablespoons very cold water
• Filling
• 400g/13oz fresh apricots, halved, stoned and cut into wedges
• 500g/1lb fresh peaches, halved, stoned and cut into wedges
• 150g/5oz caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 3 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 4 Amaretti biscuits, finely crushed
• 15g/1/2oz butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons milk, to glaze

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees C/400 degrees F. Put the apricots and peaches into a bowl, then add the sugar, Amaretto liqueur, cornstarch, lemon juice and half of the crushed Amaretti biscuits. Stir everything together thoroughly, then leave it to sit while you make the pastry.
2. Once the dough is ready, transfer the fruit mixture into the bottom of a 1.5 litre/2 1/2 pint pie dish, then scatter the butter pieces over the filling.
3. Dust your work surface lightly with flour and roll the pastry until it is slightly bigger than the pie dish. Slice off a strip for the rim of the dish, set the pastry over the top, and press it firmly to seal. Cut away the extra pastry, then brush the surface with a little milk. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
4. As soon as the pie comes out of the oven, scatter over the remaining crushed Amaretti biscuits and a little caster sugar. Leave it to rest for about 10–15 minutes before serving with fresh pouring cream.
5. To make the shortcrust pastry, put the flour, butter and salt in a large clean bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter through the flour until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, moving quickly so the dough does not get warm.
6. Add the water and stir with a cold knife until the dough comes together. If it seems too dry, mix in more cold water, a teaspoon at a time.
7. Wrap the dough in clingfilm / plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.