Northumberland Gooseberry Plate Pie – Lavender and Lovage

Northumberland Gooseberry Plate Pie – An old-fashioned double crust plate pie, which is delcious when served with cream, ice cream or custard.

A North Country Family Recipe

Northumberland Gooseberry Plate Pie: This is a pie that’s very close to my heart- a pie that was made regularly during gooseberry season by my maternal grandmother.

I’ve named it a Northumberland Gooseberry Plate Pie in honour of her and grandad’s magical gooseberry patch, at their old, burnside cottage in Northumberland.

At the bottom of their rambling garden, over the burn where their cottage got its name, was a huge patch of gooseberry bushes.

Their green orbs nestled amongst the serrated leaves, some green, some a pale yellow and some were a rosy pink.

My grandad used to sell them by the side of the country lane where they lived, and people used to drive (or walk) to their cottage just to buy them, as well as rhubarb, which they also grew.

Gooseberry jam, crumbles, fools, pies and simple stewed gooseberries would grace the old scrubbed pine table in the cottage parlour when they were in season.

Thick, pale buttercup yellow cream would be spooned out of an old stoneware pot onto the crisp, golden brown pastry crust. (or oaty crumble topping)

These were happy, carefree and well fed days, where I’d sleep in the attic, watching the stars and moon shining through the skylight, after climbing a rather rickety stepladder.

I’m sharing this nostalgic recipe today, and I hope you enjoy this must unfashionable of berries in a pie, between a double buttery pastry crust with a sugar glaze.

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Northumberland Gooseberry Plate Pie Recipe

Northumberland Gooseberry Plate Pie

Yield:
8 slices

Prep Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
50 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 20 minutes

Northumberland Gooseberry Plate Pie: This is a pie that’s very close to my heart- a pie that was made regularly during gooseberry season by my maternal grandmother.

I’ve named it a Northumberland Gooseberry Plate Pie in honour of her and grandad’s magical gooseberry patch, at their old, burnside cottage in Northumberland.

At the bottom of their rambling garden, over the burn where their cottage got its name, was a huge patch of gooseberry bushes.

Their green orbs nestled amongst the serrated leaves, some green, some a pale yellow and some were a rosy pink.

My grandad used to sell them by the side of the country lane where they lived, and people used to drive (or walk) to their cottage just to buy them, as well as rhubarb, which they also grew.

Gooseberry jam, crumbles, fools, pies and simple stewed gooseberries would grace the old scrubbed pine table in the cottage parlour when they were in season.

Thick, pale buttercup yellow cream would be spooned out of an old stoneware pot onto the crisp, golden brown pastry crust. (or oaty crumble topping)

These were happy, carefree and well fed days, where I’d sleep in the attic, watching the stars and moon shining through the skylight, after climbing a rather rickety stepladder.

I’m sharing this nostalgic recipe today, and I hope you enjoy this must unfashionable of berries in a pie, between a double buttery pastry crust with a sugar glaze.

Ingredients

• 500g shortcrust pastry (ready made or home made)
• 500g fresh gooseberries (topped and tailed)
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon semolina
• 1 x egg, beaten for the glaze
• butter for greasing

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 190C/375F/Gas mark 5 and butter an enamel pie plate, or an oven proof plate with a little butter.
2. Combine the gooseberries with the caster sugar, leaving a little sugar back to dust over the finished pie, and allow to macerate for 10 to 15 minutes whilst you make the pastry.
3. Make the shortcrust pastry according to the recipe below, or use ready-made and ready-rolled shortcrust pastry. Butter shortcrust is best.
4. When you are ready to assemble the pie, cut the pastry in half and roll one half out to fit the bottom of the pie plate. Trim any overhanging pastry.
5. Sprinkle the semolina over the pastry base, then add the gooseberry and sugar mixture.
6. Roll out the remaining half of the shortcrust pastry, with the help of the rolling pin, ease it over the top of the gooseberries, press together around the pie edges and trim of any overhanging pastry, which can be used for decoration or for jam tarts etc.
7. Seal and crimp the edges of the pie together, make a small hole in the middle of the pie to allow the steam to escape.
8. Brush the beaten egg over the top for a glaze, and sprinkle sugar over the top of the beaten egg.
9. Bake it for 45 to 50 minutes in the pre-heated oven until the pastry is crispy and golden brown.
10. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle more caster sugar over the top, allow to cool slightly before serving warm cut into wedges.
11. Serve with clotted cream, double cream, single cream, creme fraiche or ice cream.

Notes

Can be frozen at step 6, when unbaked; bake from frozen and allow an extra 5 minutes when baking from frozen.

Basic Shortcrust Pastry – my mum’s recipe for shortcrust pastry which uses SR flour and not plain flour for a lovely light texture.

Ingredients:

340g SR flour (12 ozs)
160g butter (6 ozs)
cold water (to mix, about 30ml)
pinch of salt

Directions:

Step 1: Mix flour and salt in basin, rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Step 2: Using a knife to cut and stir, mix with cold water to form a stiff dough. Do not over mix, light of hand is best. Allow pastry dough to chill and “relax” for 30 minutes, in a fridge or a cool place, cover the bowl or put the pastry in some cling film.

Step 3: Turn dough on to a floured surface and knead lightly. Roll out and use as required.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8

Serving Size 1

Amount Per Serving

Calories 382Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 65mgSodium 279mgCarbohydrates 53gFiber 4gSugar 26gProtein 7g