"La Crostata Di Mele Della Mamma" or Mum's Apple Tart. This is Italian comfort food at its best. A friend arrived earlier with a basket full of freshly-picked apples so I've just prepared the pastry to make this lovely tart for dessert tonight. 

I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine!

Ciao, Sioban

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients
Pastry

• 100g cold unsalted butter
• 200g plain or type “00” flour
• 1 ½  tbs caster sugar
• Pinch of salt flakes
• 100 mls cold water

Method

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse 10 – 12 times or until mixture is the consistency of wet sand.
Tip it onto the kitchen bench and press together with your hands to form a soft, smooth ball.
Cover with plastic film and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Apple Mixture

• 100g sultanas
• 150 mls water
• 2 tbs Marsala
• 4 – 5 large granny smith apples
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 150 g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 tbs Marsala, extra
• 75 mls water, extra
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

Method

Soak the sultanas in the water and Marsala for 30 minutes. Drain, discarding the liquid.
Peel, core and quarter the apples and put them in a medium saucepan with the butter, sugar, vanilla pod, extra Marsala and extra water.
Stir until well combined, then cover and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add the drained sultanas and cook over a low heat for 10 – 12 minutes or until the apple is soft but still keeps its shape.
Remove from the heat, remove the apples and stir in the cinnamon. Return to the heat and reduce the sauce until it is well caramalised, then stir in the lemon juice and zest.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and flour a pie dish.
Take the pastry from the fridge and roll it with a floured rolling pin between 2 sheets of plastic film or baking paper to a thickness of 2 – 3mm. Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry into the pie dish allowing the edges to overhang a little.
Spoon the apple mixture into the pastry case and fold the overhanging pastry back over the filling.
Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the crust is a rich golden colour.