Video: How to make a Canadian fruit pie

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Sheila and Murray Skeaff came to Dunedin from Canada in 1988 to work in the human nutrition department at the University of Otago.

Initially, they thought it would be for five years, but now, with three daughters aged 15-23, they are still enjoying life here. Both are academics in the human nutrition department.

Dr Skeaff grew up in northern Ontario where nickel mining in the 1920s had deforested the landscape and acid rain from smelting acidified the ground, but wild blueberries colonised the wastelands, she said. They were smaller and sweeter than the blueberries here, and a couple of times every summer they would pick baskets full which her mother made into pies.

Here, she also makes fruit pies as a treat. Usually she uses frozen local berries, which is easiest, but also makes them with fresh apricots, peaches, apples and even cherries, but cherries need to be stoned. The pies should be full of fruit and fairly tart, so don't use too much sugar.

Blueberry or raspberry fruit pie

INGREDIENTS

Pastry:
2 cups white flour
170g cold butter
1/4 cup ice-cold water.

Filling:
1 kg frozen berries
about 3/4 cup white sugar or to taste
2-3 Tbsp flour

METHOD
Preheat oven to 200degC

To make the pastry, place flour in a food processor. Cube the butter and add to the flour.

Process for 10-20 seconds only until the butter is finely chopped but still visible. Add cold water while pulsing for about 10 seconds. Take care not to over-process or the pastry will be tough.

Tip the crumbly mix into a bowl and knead until it comes together into a ball.

Cut in half and use the slightly larger piece for the base of the pie. Roll out until slightly bigger than the pie dish, cutting and patching the pastry if it cracks at the edges.

Carefully roll the pastry loosely on to the rolling pin and lift on to the pie dish and press gently into the dish. Trim away any large overhangs.

To prepare the filling:

Put the frozen berries in a bowl, add sugar to taste and flour, and toss between your hands to coat the fruit. Tip the fruit into the piecrust, sprinkling over any sugar and flour in the bottom of the bowl.

Roll out the rest of the pastry, patching the edges if necessary.

With the help of the rolling pin, lift carefully on to the pie and trim any large overhangs. Fold the top layer gently over the bottom layer, then pinch the edges together. To finish, press down with your index finger to make a fluted edge.

Decorate with pastry leaves made from scraps if desired. With a sharp knife, cut slits in the top of the pastry.

Put in the oven at 200degC for half an hour then reduce the heat to 180degC for another half-hour. The fruit should bubble through the pastry slits.

When cooked, allow to cool. Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.

Serve warm or cold with cream or ice cream.

 

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Tips:
• Making pastry is easy, but you have to be careful not to over-mix it, which will make it tough. Process for only a few seconds as specified in the recipe.

• The uncooked fruit will pile high in the pastry shell, but it will cook down. The pie should be mostly fruit.

• If you serve the pie warm the filling will be runny.

• Dr Skeaff doesn't usually grease the pie dish as there's enough butter in the pastry, but if you want to be sure it doesn't stick, then spray it lightly.

• Because the fruit may bubble through the slits and over the edge of the pie as it cooks, it's a good idea to put a tray or tinfoil underneath to catch any spills.

• When Dr Skeaff was growing up in Canada, her mother used shortening (such as Kremelta) to make pastry but now it is known that vegetable shortening contains harmful trans fats. She says she doesn't use butter often, but it's good for pastry and a fruit pie like this is a treat two or three times a year.

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- Thanks to Afife Harris and The Fruit Garden.