(Serves four)

160 g plain flour
Salt and pepper
100 g butter
1 large onion, sliced
4 small gammon steaks or 300 g-piece streaky bacon
1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp honey
150 ml medium cider
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
6 fresh sage leaves, chopped or 1 tsp dried sage
750 g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Milk and butter for mashing
60 g grated mature Cheddar cheese

Sift the flour into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper and rub in 80 g of the butter.

Mix to a dough with iced water, turn it out on to a floured surface and knead lightly. Roll the pastry out and line a large pie plate, then chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

Melt the rest of the butter in a pan and fry the onion until starting to soften. Dice the gammon or bacon, add it to the pan and continue to cook until it’s lightly browned.

Stir in the mustard and honey and cook for a minute more, then add the cider and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the apples, sage and a pinch of pepper and simmer for another two or three minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, then mash them with the milk and butter and stir in the grated cheese. Preheat the oven to 200˚C.

Spread the cooled filling into the pie shell, then either spoon or pipe the potatoes on top, sealing them right to the edges of the pastry.

Dot with a little extra butter and bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is cooked and the top is browned.

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