Gooseberry Pie

My first ever gooseberry pie cooling off; even made the pie crust. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

My first ever gooseberry pie cooling off; even made the pie crust. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Gooseberry Pie

Now there is one less thing on my “bucket list.” I didn’t grow up with gooseberry pie but where I live it is a popular - some say highly traditional - mid spring treat when gooseberry shrubs produce fruit.

My first awareness of this berry pie was through my father-in-law-at-the time. Weeks before the gooseberries were ready to be picked, he would wax poetic about gooseberry pie. Interestingly enough, he and his wife never shared a piece in the 14 years I was married to their son but that’s a whole different story.

This year, my neighbor Elaine knew someone selling already-stemmed gooseberries so she treated me to 4 cups, just enough to make one pie.

These green gooseberries are face-twisting tart. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

These green gooseberries are face-twisting tart. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

She also said to use half Stevia and half sugar, which I did. One piece made with all granulated sugar is 454 calories so worth trying a sugar substitute.

The pie is supposed to be dusted with sugar but I plan to drizzle with fresh honey.

Gooseberry Pie Recipe

You will need:

  • Pastry for Double-Crust Pie

  • 4 cups fresh or frozen gooseberries

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 1 ½ cups sugar or 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup Stevia

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1 tablespoon light cream or milk

  • Sugar (about 2 teaspoons)

To Make:

  • Prepare pie pastry. Roll out half of the pastry to a 12-inch circle. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate. Set aside.

  • In a medium saucepan, combine berries, and 1 tablespoon water. Cook over medium-low heat until the berries "pop," stirring occasionally.

  • Combine the 1-1/2 cups sugar, the flour, and nutmeg; add to the gooseberries in the saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture just begins to bubble. It will look like mashed potatoes with the gooseberries cooked into mush.

  • Spread mixture in the pastry-lined pie plate. Roll out remaining pastry. Cut slits to allow steam to escape. Place remaining pastry on filling; trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Brush top crust with cream or milk; sprinkle with a little sugar.

  • I used strips of pastry to make the top.

Fun to play with pie dough, I used a fork to crimp the edges. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Fun to play with pie dough, I used a fork to crimp the edges. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

  • Cover the edge of the pie with foil.

  • Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil.

  • My center was browning nicely when I removed the foil off the edges so I placed the foil over the center to keep it from over baking. Bake about 20 minutes more or until top is golden.

  • Cool. Makes 8 servings.

How does it taste? Definitely still tart but grape-like, would go nicely with vanilla ice cream both drizzled in honey.

What about the honey calories? Oh that, at my house honey calories don’t count!

Charlotte