Taxi!

"May 26th. Four o'clock p.m. I took Betsy to Charles Coffee Shop on Columbus Circle. I had black coffee and apple pie with a slice of melted yellow cheese. I think that was a good selection. Betsy had coffee and a fruit salad dish. She could have had anything she wanted."

Apple pie with a cheese crust

Taxi driver (1976)

“An apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze.” So the Yorkshire saying goes anyway. The content of the movie itself could make any discussion of kissing and squeezing a little difficult so I’m going to stick to the pie. Robert de Niro’s character doesn’t give us too many clues about this recipe. I could have created a pie with a cheese topping, with cream cheese as the wetting agent in the pastry or with cheese chunks mixed into the apple. If any of these appeal to you then please adapt this recipe accordingly. I could have completely opted out and just served the cheese on the side however I did know that Travis specifically said melted cheese. To make this more palatable I’ve added the cheese to the pastry.

Apple pies always benefit from a savoury pastry as this brings out the apply tartness. Adding the strong tangy cheese allows the sweetness to be enhanced even further. This is the one time I wouldn’t add any cinnamon to an apple pie although a few cloves would work if you wanted that additional edge. Serve these individual pies when they have just begun to cool. Cold single cream works the best as an accompaniment; custard and ice cream are better saved for other puddings.

“Are you talkin’ to me?” I very much doubt it; my mouth is far too full with this delicious apple pie for me to speak.

Mise en scene

Pastry

250g plain flour

125g butter or margarine

100g strong cheddar (finely grated)

Cold water

Apple filling

3 or 4 large bramley apples

Sugar

four hole large Yorkshire pudding tin

It's all in the edit

Pre heat oven to 200C Gas 6

1. Place flour and fat into a large bowl and rub in the fat until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the grated cheese. Using a round bladed knife stir in the cold water a little at a time until the mixture begins to come together. Use your hands to form a ball of pastry. Wrap the pastry in cling film and rest for half an hour or so in the fridge.

2. Roll out the pastry, line the Yorkshire pudding pans with pastry and bake blind for 15 minutes. Prick with a fork or fill with baking beans. Allow to cool.

3. Peel and core the apples. Cut into generous sized chunks and place in a saucepan with a splash of water, a knob of butter and sugar to taste.

4. Gently cook the apple until the edges of each piece just begins to soften. Don’t cook to a mush as the apple will continue to cook in the oven. Put the part cooked apple each part baked shell and top with a little more sugar if it tastes very sharp. Cut out circles of pastry and pop over the apple. Press to seal. Make a small slit in the pie crusts to let steam escape and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the apple is bubbling.

5. Serve with ice cold single cream.

6. Taxi!