After this year's 'Harvest' we had a huge surplus of produce. With no jars left to fill with jam or chutney, this surplus headed for the freezer but I'd had enough of playing a game of tetris everytime I wanted some bread or fish fingers so I decided to defrost and use some of our Rhubarb and Damsons.
Ingredients:
200g Plain Flour
25g Ground Almonds
100g Unsalted Butter
1 Egg Yolk
100g Sugar
3 tbsp Milk
100g Blueberries
325g Rhubarb
325g Damsons
100g Caster Sugar
4 tbsps Plain Flour
4 tbsps Plain Flour
Method:
1. I always like to make my pastry first as it needs to chill in the fridge. To do this, sieve the flour and ground almonds into a bowl and mix them. Then rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs before adding the egg yolk, sugar and milk.
2. Knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes then wrap in cling film and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Wash the fruit and put it in a large saucepan with the sugar. Cook for around 5 minutes until all the sugar has dissolved.
4. Drain the majority of the juices from the mix and transfer to a mixing bowl. Then add the plain flour and combine thoroughly. (I do this to ensure the mixture isn't too wet, otherwise it will soak the pastry and you'll end up with a 'soggy bottom')
5. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out onto a floured surface. Then line a greased pastry dish (I like to use a pyrex one) with around two thirds of the dough. Ensure that the dough is pushed well in and remove the excess from the edges.
6. Spoon the fruit mixture into the pastry, ensuring it is evenly distributed.
7. Roll out the rest of the pastry and use it to cover the top of the pie. Trim the edges and crimp them using a fork to ensure the bottom and top are joined.
8. Put a few slits in the top of the pie and brush over the pie with a little bit of milk, this will help it to be a nice golden brown colour when baked. If there is any excess pastry you may wish to put a design on top of the pie, leaves are traditional.
9. Bake for around 40 minutes at 190˚C. Once baked, dust with a little icing sugar before serving.
2. Knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes then wrap in cling film and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Wash the fruit and put it in a large saucepan with the sugar. Cook for around 5 minutes until all the sugar has dissolved.
4. Drain the majority of the juices from the mix and transfer to a mixing bowl. Then add the plain flour and combine thoroughly. (I do this to ensure the mixture isn't too wet, otherwise it will soak the pastry and you'll end up with a 'soggy bottom')
5. Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out onto a floured surface. Then line a greased pastry dish (I like to use a pyrex one) with around two thirds of the dough. Ensure that the dough is pushed well in and remove the excess from the edges.
6. Spoon the fruit mixture into the pastry, ensuring it is evenly distributed.
7. Roll out the rest of the pastry and use it to cover the top of the pie. Trim the edges and crimp them using a fork to ensure the bottom and top are joined.
8. Put a few slits in the top of the pie and brush over the pie with a little bit of milk, this will help it to be a nice golden brown colour when baked. If there is any excess pastry you may wish to put a design on top of the pie, leaves are traditional.
9. Bake for around 40 minutes at 190˚C. Once baked, dust with a little icing sugar before serving.
Enjoy!
CakesforDorothy xoxo
