Irish Apple Cake
(Serves 6-8)

2 C cake flour
3/4 tsp.  baking powder
1/2 C cold unsalted butter (cut into 8 pieces)
1/2 C plus 3 T sugar
2 extra large eggs (used separately)
6 T plus 1 T cold milk
2 cooking apples (peeled, 1 1/2" chunks)

Dough: preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9” pie plate. Sift flour and baking powder together. Rub in the butter. Stir in 1/2 C sugar. Make a well and pour in 1 egg, beaten, and the milk all at once.  Stir to make a wet, soft dough. Dust your hands with flour and pat about half the dough into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan.

Assembly: spread apple chunks over dough and sprinkle with 3 T sugar. Sprinkle a dinner plate heavily with flour and pat remaining dough onto the top of the plate. Invert the plate over the pan, letting dough drop down onto pie pan. Seal edges of pastry and make a slit in top of pie. Brush the top with the other egg (beaten) and with 1 T milk.

Bake 40-50 minutes, or till dough is golden. Serve warm with fresh whipped heavy cream.

Tips & Glossary: Irish

A special note about these recipes: they came from my friend Nan—yes, the very She of the Marley and Me LitPick (January '07). She lived in Ireland for a while and married an Irishman. These recipes are some of her family standbys. Nan is a discerning reader and a wonderful cook.

Irish cooking is quite familiar to many Americans, and so you won't find surprises in the ingredient or spice lists. You probably have much of what's called for in your pantry—or else it's readily available in any grocery store.

You'll also notice these recipes call for a lot of root vegetables. They are are a staple of the Irish kitchen: potatoes, carrots, and parsnips are particular favorites. In Ireland, vegetables are served simply, but with lots of butter.

Meats are subjected to the slow-cook method. That's because, historically, the Irish used less-expensive, tougher cuts of meat. Our Irish Lamb Stew, for instance, actually calls for meat from the lamb's neck, not exactly the most tender cut of meat.