Gooseberry Date Pie Food

GOOSEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• To make the pastry, mix the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl, then tip in 4 egg yolks. Add the flour and mix it all together with your fingers until you get a crumbly texture like damp breadcrumbs. Work in 1-2 tbsp water until the pastry just comes together, then divide it in half and roll it into 2 balls. This will make double the amount you need, so freeze half for another time. Lay the ball you are using on a floured surface, flatten it out with your hands, wrap the dough in cling film and chill for at least 30 mins.
• For the filling, tip the fruit, sugar and Port, if using, or a splash of water into a saucepan and simmer everything for about 10 mins until the fruit is soft. Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if you think it needs it. Pour the fruit into a pie dish about 25cm wide and 5cm deep.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface so it's big enough to make a lid for your pie dish. Cut a thin strip of pastry to stick onto the lip of the pie dish - this doesn't have to be one continuous piece. Stick it on with a little water, then moisten the strip with more water and place the pastry lid on top. Press down firmly, trim off any excess pastry and crimp. Make a hole in the middle of the lid, brush the top with the remaining egg yolk and sprinkle over some caster sugar. You should have enough pastry trimmings left over to make some artistic leaves to decorate your pie, if you like. Bake for 30 mins or until the top is golden brown. Leave the pie to relax a little, then serve it with custard or vanilla ice cream.

GOOSEBERRY PIE III

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.) Roll dough out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place bottom crust in pie plate. Roll out top crust and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and flour.
• Place 2 cups of berries in the pastry lined pie pan and sprinkle with half of sugar mixture. Put in remaining two cups of gooseberries, then sprinkle on remaining sugar mixture. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust and seal and flute edge. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool. You may wish to cover the edge of pie with foil to prevent over-browning. If you do so, remove the foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.

GOOSEBERRY PIE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place a baking sheet on a lower oven rack.
• Stem and rinse berries.
• Crush 1/2 cup berries in the bottom of a saucepan. Combine sugar, tapioca, and salt; mix with crushed berries. Cook and stir until mixture boils. Cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat, and add in remaining whole berries.
• Pour fruit filling into pastry. Adjust top crust; cut slits to allow steam to escape. Brush top crust with milk and sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven on baking sheet until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 35 minutes.

GOOSEBERRY DESSERT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in the butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk egg and milk. Gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until easy to handle., For filling, in a large bowl, combine sugar and tapioca. Gently stir in gooseberries; let stand for 15 minutes. Divide dough in half. Roll out each portion to an 8-in. square. Place one portion in the bottom a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Top with filling and remaining pastry., Cut slits in pastry; brush with milk. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

GOOSEBERRY & CUSTARD PIES

Steps:

• First, make the compote. Put the sugar and vanilla pod with seeds in a saucepan with 3 tbsp water and bring to the boil. Try to gently swirl rather than stir. Drop in the gooseberries and simmer for 20 mins or until half the liquid has bubbled off. Divide between four small pie dishes and put in the fridge to cool while you make the custard.
• Put the cream, milk and vanilla pods with seeds in a saucepan and bring just to the boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, flour and cornflour together. Pour the hot milk mixture over the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Rinse out the saucepan, then pour the custard mixture into the pan. Cook on a low heat, whisking, for 5-6 mins until thick. Pour through a sieve over a large jug and discard the vanilla pods, then pour the custard over the compote in the pie dishes. Leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. To make the pie lids, lay one sheet of the filo on the work surface and brush with the melted butter, then put another sheet on top. Repeat with the rest of the sheets. On the final layer, scatter over the sugar, then cut the pastry into four rectangles. Lightly scrunch each rectangle and place loosely on top of each pie dish. Bake the pies in the oven for 20 mins or until the pastry is golden and caramelised. Remove from the oven and serve.

GOOSEBERRY DATE PIE

Steps:

• Wash and pick over goosberries; add 1 3/4 cups sugar and water.
• Cover and simmer until tender.
• Drain, reserving juice.
• Measure 2 cups of berries and add to dates.
• Mix together remaining sugar, cinnamon, calt and cornstarch.
• Add 1 cup of gooseberry juice and cook until thick and clear.
• Add gooseberries and dates; gently stir and cool.
• When cool, pour int baked pastry shell and garnish with sweetened whipped cream.