Pie making question

[keepersdaughter]

I've been having a real yen for rhubard crumble or goosberry pie lately, probably because it's years since i tasted either and I keep seeing them mentioned in English magazines, etc. I haven't been able to find them in either supermarket here, nor in fact have i ever seen goosberries and only rarely rhubard. Odd isn't it?. Anyway, i decided to make a big apple and blackberry pie instead and was just curious how others made their pies.
Do you make a top and bottom, and do you precook the fruit before adding to the pastry? Everyone seems to have a different method. Which do you find works best for you?

[franbee]

For an apple pie, I line the plate with pastry, add thin sliced apple, and sugar. Top with a lid of pastry. Seal the edges well, prick holes in top. Brush with water or milk and bake in a hot oven til pastry is set, then reduce temp to cook filling.
Can you get the fruits in a tin? That would be an alternative. Drain well for a pie.
Crumble is quicker. Put cooked and sweetened fruit in bottom of dish. Melt 3 oz of marg or butter. Stir in 3 oz of sugar, we use brown. Add 4 oz of any oats and 2 oz of plain flour, I use brown. Mix well, spread over fruit, bake in moderate oven til crisp, or if in a hurry, microwave for 8-9 mins, this makes a chewy topping.

[Oola]

It depends how much time I've got really. For a quick fruit pie, I just sling the fruit in the oven dish, sugar etc. and then just put a pie 'lid' on. If I have a lot more time I'll line and seal the same as franbee.

I am a whizz at rhubarb and apple & blackberry crumbles - learned it all from my Mum of course! If I can't muster the right fruit, I just get hold of whatever I can lay my hands on really. I'm lucky enough to have rhubarb growing on my allotment, so that's always to hand now. Last year I ran out of wild blackberries that I let grow here, so I subsituted them for some of Nannie's raspberries with some apples from my Aunt's tree - gorgeous!

I don't precook the softer fruit at all, the apples just need a little water to sort of help them stew cook I find, esp. if you have added sultanas or raisins. With rhubarb I very gently reduce it down in a pan a little bit before putting it under the crumble 'lid'.

To make my crumble topping I think I just use cooking marg, demerera sugar and plain flour, with an extra sprinkling of sugar on top. I always cook in the oven otherwise, as franbee says, it goes a bit chewy!