This recipe for apple and pear pie is one of more than 100 traditional Normandy recipes from Anne Prével translated into English by Alex Bramble in a new book, Recipes from Normandy.

The 160-page book features the French and English recipes side by side to help your food shopping vocabulary. It is published by Editions Bonneton, priced e10. ISBN: 2-86253-473-2

3 apples
3 pears
80g powdered almonds
80g butter
120g sugar
cinnamon

For the pastry:
300g flour
150g butter
a pinch of salt
half a glass of water

Make a shortcrust pastry mix and leave it to rest for an hour.

Work together the butter, the sugar and the powdered almonds to make a smooth and even mixture and add the cinnamon.

Peel the apples and pears, cut them in half, core them and remove the pips.

Use two-thirds of the pastry to cover the base of a deep flan dish or sandwich tin, arrange the fruit halves on top, rounded side up, and pour over the almond mixture.

Cover with the rest of the pastry, seal the sides with a little water and brush with the egg yolk. Insert a pie bird into the middle of the pie to allow the steam to escape during cooking.

Bake in a hot oven for 45 minutes.