Skillet Apple Pandowdy

Make the pastry. Mix the water and sour cream. Pulse or rub the flour, sugar and salt with the frozen butter until the pieces are like large peas, then add the sour-cream water and mix just until large clumps form. Press into a disc, wrap and chill 1 h; frozen butter gives bold flaky layers.

Cut the squares. Heat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Roll the dough to a 25 cm round on a floured surface, cut into roughly 6 cm squares (edge pieces will be smaller), lay on the lined tray and chill 30 min. Cold squares keep their shape in the heat.

Cook the apples. Peel, core and cut the apples into 1 cm wedges and toss with the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Melt the butter in the pan over medium heat, add the apples, cover and cook 10 min, stirring now and then, until they soften and release juice. Whisk the apple juice, cornflour and lemon juice, stir in and simmer uncovered 2-3 min until thickened, then take off the heat.

Shingle the top. Lay the pastry squares over the apples, overlapping slightly like loose shingles. Brush with egg and sprinkle with the sugar mixed with the cinnamon for a crackly, spiced finish.

Bake and press. Bake 20-25 min until the pastry is golden and puffed and the juices bubble between the pieces. With a spoon, press a few squares into the juices, then bake 5 min more; the pressed pieces soak up syrup while the rest stay crisp.

Rest and serve. Cool 15 min, then spoon into 6 bowls with plain yoghurt or whipped cream. Leftovers keep, covered and chilled, up to 2 days; warm them at 180 °C (160 °C fan) for 15 min.