This recipe is traditional because it contains more than just apples. Modern apple pies are made predominantly with apples. Some have a handful of blackberries to give taste and colour, or a pinch or two of cloves to enhance the taste.
In my part of England 'Olde' apple pie always contained other fruit as well. Remember, a few centuries ago, the pie was served at the end of the meal for a specific reason. It was to ensure the farm worker was full of food and it provided him with the much needed sugar and energy for the very hard physical work he had to do every day. Ingredients were from the countryside and from the kitchen garden and orchard. The farmer's wife might use home made jams to add sparkle to her baking, and this is how this recipe for apple pie evolved. This has oranges and dried fruits and is a wonderfully filling dish for long, cold evenings. You can reduce or remove any of the spices or fruits to match your own personal taste. Serve with custard or with lashings of cream. It can also be served with warm milk into which a tiny little bit of sugar has been added - this makes a less filling sauce but keeps the pie wet.
This should make a pie large enough for 6 normal sized portions. It is safe to keep in the fridge for a day if not eaten all at once.

Method:
1. Take a 9 inch (22.5 cm) pie dish and wipe the inside surface with butter.
2. Cover an area of work surface with flour and roll out about two thirds of the pastry. When suitable size use it to line the pie dish, trimming off any excess. (Keep any trimmings for decoration).
3. Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork.
4. Take any remaining pastry as well as the unused pastry, wrap in Clingfilm and put into the fridge. Cover the pie base and put into the fridge too.
5. Heat the oven to 190'C / 375'F / gas mark 5.
6. In a large bowl, stir together the currents, raisins, sultanas, candied peel and rum together.
7. Place the pie dish on the baking sheet and bake blind (click here for explanation) for about 10 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and inspect the pie base. It should be a nice light brown butter.
9. Remove the greaseproof sheet and the beans from the blind baking stage.
10. Brush the base and the sides with beaten egg white and bake in the oven for a further 5 minutes. Then remove.
11. Roll out your remaining pastry to make a pie lid for the pie.
12. Peel, core and then slice the apples into quite thick slices.
13. Take the bowl containing the fruits and rum, add the apples slices and the orange slices. Add the remaining spices (not the almonds) and the sugar and carefully stir trying not to break the fruit up too much.
14. Fry the almonds in butter for a few minutes until golden then remove.
15. Fill the pie with the mixed pie filling and level off. Scatter on the top of the pie filling the toasted almonds.
16. Brush the edges of the pastry case with water and put on the lid. Crimp (compress) the edges to make them seal.
17. With any trimmings make decorations in the form of leaves and place on the top of the pie lid.
18. Brush the lid (and decorations) with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle with a little, caster sugar and return to the oven.
19. Bake the pie for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is tender.

Serve either hot or cold. In winter time consider serving with a topping of brandy sauce.

Ingredients (Shortcrust Pastry):
225g or 8oz plain flour
115g or 4oz unsalted butter cut into cubes
Cold water.

Method (Shortcrust Pastry):
1. Sift the flour into a glass or earthenware bowl. Toss in the butter cubes. Using your fingertips rub the butter into the flour until it looks like large breadcrumbs.
2. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of cold water over the surface of the mixture. Using a round bladed knife lightly mix it all together until it forms large lumps, adding a LITTLE more water if necessary.
3. Again, by using your fingertips, lightly form the lumps of mixture into a smooth ball. (The bowl should be left clean - this is how you know the mixture is at the correct constituency). 
4. Put onto a flour covered surface and knead gently until it is smooth and there are no cracks in the mixture. 
5. Form into a ball again then wrap in Clingfilm and put into the fridge for 30 minutes before using to make a pie pastry.
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To bake a pie base blind:
Lay a piece of greaseproof paper on the base of the pastry in the dish. 
Fill the pie with a layer of dried beans or ceramic baking beans - enough to cover the base and weigh the pastry down.
(This allows the pie base to be cooked without rising or distorting. If, when you have cooked the pie base blind, the pastry seems a little pale - do not worry - remove the beans and the greaseproof paper and cook for another few minutes - the pie base will not now rise up.
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