gooseberry-pie-200x150.jpgBreak out of your strawberry-blueberry-raspberry rut! Sure, easy to say but a good gooseberry is hard to find! And if you did find one, would the two of you get along? This is why pie retreats are good. They help you face the unknown with courage, creativity, and cute aprons.

Gooseberry Pie

Low Sodium Pie Crust

for a double crust pie

  1. 2½ cups flour
  2. ¼ tsp salt
  3. 2 sticks (really cold) unsalted butter, cut in bits
  4. ¼ cold water

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt

Mix in the butter and beat for 30 seconds, slowly feeding in the water

The dough should just hold together, looking like large pebbles

The Filling

  1. 6 cups fresh gooseberries, stemmed
  2. 1½ cups granulated sugar
  3. 2 tbs instant tapioca
  4. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  5. juice of ½ lemon (1 tbs)
  6. 1½ tbs unsalted butter, in bit
  7. 1 large egg yolk
  8. 1 tbs heavy creamgranulated sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 400°

In a large bowl, toss together the gooseberries, granulated sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, and lemon juice

Pile into the bottom pie crust

Dot with butter

Combine the heavy cream and the egg yolk

Brush the edges of the bottom pie crust with the egg wash

Place the top crust on, squeeze the edges together, turn under, and crimp

Make steam vents in the top

Brush the top with the egg wash, being careful not to let the egg pool

Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet

Bake 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°

Continue baking, 40-55 minutes more, until the crust is a deep, golden brown and the juices are bubbling

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely