Apple & Date Slab Pie – by Allegra D’Agostini

Pie is a practical dessert, shaped not for elegant romance but sturdy reliability. Best shared with a table, the beauty of a slab pie is baked into its free-form nature. Their lack of uniformity means that everyone will have a different experience: one person might have a slice with two sides and a corner of whimsically pleated crust, while another may receive a portion with no crust at all. This is part of the game: knowing your crowd, considering each one’s preference, and, to the best of your ability, ensuring that all needs are met. It’s hard not to notice how this carries beyond the table. I like the idea of borrowing from the slab pie-portioning philosophy as we move through life, dividing our attention and time in a considered split.

As always, a pie is a vessel for ingredients. This one in particular is made from apples and dates harvested in months past, patiently waiting throughout winter to ultimately make their way into a shortcrust case and bake until bubbling and golden. Dates can be cloying if used too generously, but here, they are mixed into a spice and tea-infused paste that complements the tart apples and creates a delicate layer of flavour.

The shortcrust here is made with a touch of spelt to add a pleasant nuttiness and written with the wisdom of brilliant Nicole Rucker, baker and pie expert behind Fat and Flour in LA. I had the pleasure of learning from Nicole last summer when she came to London on her book tour and we hosted a pop-up at Violet Cakes. We made a few of her incredible pies and I learned more from her about pie in those 2 days, and in the subsequent months baking from her book Fat and Flour, than ever before.

Have fun decorating your crust with cutouts, like I did, by weaving/arranging strips of dough, or simply drape your top crust over the filling and make some slits with a knife. Either way, ensure that you leave plenty of time after both mixing the dough and rolling it out: this will ensure that the gluten is well-rested so that it doesn’t spring back on itself in the oven and lead to a misshapen crust. Some things, especially pie, are better when they’re not rushed.

Ingredients:

Pastry: