Cherry and Strawberry Pie -

This delicious Cherry and Strawberry Pie recipe was featured in Issue 4 of ele Magazine, our Sweet edition.

Recipe and Images by Jo O’Keefe for ele Magazine.

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What better way to end a cosy day than with a homestyle pie. I’ve made this pie using all fresh fruit and all frozen fruit on separate occasions and it doesn’t disappoint no matter which you use.

It is also a great sweet pastry to keep in your repertoire that you can use for all different types of sweet pies.

If you are are pitting fresh cherries be prepared that your kitchen might get covered in red cherry juice. I speak from experience, it is best to pit them outside!

Ingredients (Makes 1 pie approx. 26cm)

Pastry

250g cold grated butter

500g plain flour

50g icing sugar

100ml cold water

3 tsp lemon juice

1 egg, beaten (for glazing)

1 tbsp raw sugar (for glazing)

Mix together the butter and dry ingredients in a food processor. Add the lemon juice and water until it forms into a ball. You can use a food mixer or even do this by hand if you prefer.
Once combined, flatten the pastry into a disc and pop into the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Filling

2 1/4 tbsp corn flour

2 tbsp lemon juice

600g frozen cherries or fresh when in season (pitted)

300g strawberries

160g castor sugar

Combine cornflour with lemon juice and fruit into a saucepan and heat together for approx. 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
To blind bake your pastry pre-heat oven 180C (350F) degrees.
Roll out half of your pastry, making it nice and even in thickness so it is slightly bigger than your pie dish. Drape it over your pie tin and let it hang a little over the edges.
Pop a piece of baking paper on top of the pastry and use baking weights or dry rice to weigh down pastry. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.
Remove the weight and baking paper and return to oven and bake for another five minutes.
Cut the excess overhanging pastry off the edge – it doesn’t matter if it is a little rustic.
Fill the pastry case with your cooled cherry and strawberry filling.
Roll out your remaining pastry, cutting even pastry strips 1-2 inches in width to form the rustic lattice top. Thread the large strips across the top of the pie.
Brush the pastry top with a beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and enjoy!

It is often suggested that you don’t cut fresh pies until they cool down but I can never wait, I’d prefer a rough-cut warm pie with melty vanilla ice cream or cream any day!