Classic Gooseberry Pie Recipes

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

Steps:

• Prepare pie pastry. Roll out half of the pastry to a 12-inch circle. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine berries, and 1 tablespoon water. Cook over medium-low heat until the berries "pop," stirring occasionally.
• Combine the 1-1/2 cups sugar, the flour, and nutmeg; add to the gooseberries in the saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture just begins to bubble.
• Spread mixture in the pastry-lined pie plate. Roll out remaining pastry. Cut slits to allow steam to escape. Place remaining pastry on filling; trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Brush top crust with cream or milk; sprinkle with a little sugar. Cover the edge of the pie with foil.
• Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake about 20 minutes more or until top is golden. Cool. Makes 8 servings.

CLASSIC BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix 2 cups flour and the salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half; shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.
• In large bowl, mix sugar, 1/2 cup flour and the cinnamon. Stir in blueberries. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over blueberry mixture. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over blueberries. Cover with top pastry that has slits cut in it; seal and flute. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.
• Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours.

CLASSIC GOOSEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Crush 1/2 cup of gooseberries; combine with sugar, tapioca and salt.
• Add the whole berries.
• Cook and stir until mixture thickens.
• Line 9-inch pie pan with pastry; fill.
• Dot with butter.
• Adjust top crust.
• Bake in very hot oven (450 F degrees) 10 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to (350 F degrees) and bake about 30 minutes longer or till crust is done.
• Serve slightly warm.

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.