Staying at home and eating at home, and eating at home and eating at home have removed all my excuses for not using food I have stored in the freezer and pantry. As I was organizing the freezer yesterday I found a bag of frozen gooseberries.
I love the sweet-tart flavor of gooseberries, especially when they are in a warm pie with a bit of sugar on the crust. We used to go pick them when I was growing up and I have tried growing them a couple of times, without any luck. But the frozen gooseberries work great for pies.
I use a package of Pillsbury Pie Crusts for my crusts, but of course, you can make your own. I just have never been very good at pie crusts.
I think the very best way to eat Gooseberry Pie is when it is still warm from being baked in the oven, and topped with a bit of vanilla ice cream. YUM!!!
Of course, it looks prettier if you wait until it cools a bit to cut it. You could pop your piece in microwave for about 30 seconds before you add the ice cream, if you want it warm, pretty and delicious!
Note: I got these gooseberries at The Old Cookstove store, near Maysville, MO. A fun to place to visit….when we can get out and about again.
Gooseberry Pie
Ingredients
- 1 package Pillsbury Pie Crusts (2 pie crusts) (or you can make your own)
- 4 cups fresh or frozen gooseberries
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg, optional
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoons sparkling sugar, or regular sugar
Instructions
- Let pie crusts set at room temperature about 1/2 hour before using. Follow directions and ease 1 crust into a 9" pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim of the pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°.
- Combine gooseberries and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, until the berries "pop", stirring occasionally.
- Combine the 1 1/2 cups sugar, flour and nutmeg; add to the gooseberry mixture in the saucepan. Cook and stir until the mixture begins to bubble.
- Spread the gooseberry mixture in the pastry-lined pie plate. Cut slits in the remaining pastry to allow steam to escape. Place on top of the filling, trim the top pastry to 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate. Fold top pastry under the bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Brush the top with milk; sprinkle with a little sparkling sugar or regular sugar.
- Cover the crimped edge with foil or pie crust shield.
- Bake in a 375° oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil or shield and bake about 20 more minutes or until the top is golden brown. Delicious warm with a little scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!
