Prăjitură cu mere de post (Romanian lean apple cake)

Ingredients

• 1000 ml cold water
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 kg apples
• 2 pieces star anise
• 50 ml oil
• 100 g sugar
• 250 ml mineral water
• 150 ml oil
• 150 g sugar
• 575 g flour
• 1 packet baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Peel the apples and put them in a bowl with 1000 ml cold water and the juice of one lemon, until you finish peeling all of them. Grate them on the large grater. 2. In a pan, put the 2 pieces of star anise with 50 ml oil and let it heat until you can smell the anise. Drain the apples, add them to the pan with 100 g sugar and sauté them for about 10 minutes, until they are soft. 3. Let the apples cool. 4. In a bowl, put 250 ml mineral water, the juice of one lemon, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 150 g sugar and stir until all the sugar dissolves. Add 150 ml oil, then 575 g flour mixed with 1 packet baking powder. Knead until you get a smooth dough. 5. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Line a 30 x 35 cm tray with baking paper. 6. Roll out the first half of the dough between two sheets of baking paper, into a sheet the size of the tray, and transfer it to the tray. 7. Spread the cooled apples evenly over the dough and take the star anise pieces out of the apples. Roll out the second half of the dough, lay it over the apples and prick it here and there with a fork. 8. Put the tray in the oven heated to 180 degrees C, for 30-40 minutes, until the top browns. Let the cake cool and, if you like, dust it with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.