A "hungry gap" pie for the in-between season where there is little seasonal fresh produce available. Frozen blueberries and a super easy pie crust make this a really simple dessert to knock up on an "is it going to stay sunny or start drizzling?" spring day.
- 150 g (1 cup) plain, wholewheat or spelt flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 heaped teaspoon xylitol or coconut sugar, optional
- 100 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- a few tablespoons of ice cold water, as needed
- 300 g (2 cups) frozen blueberries
- 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 tablespoons xylitol or coconut sugar (or to taste - if using more than 3 tablespoons, I would generally go with 2-2 1/2 tbsp xylitol or coconut sugar and a drop of liquid stevia instead)
- 1 teaspoon sugar free vanilla extract
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Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and sprinkle with a little flour. In a food processor, pulse to mix the flour, salt and xylitol or coconut sugar, if using. Add the butter and pulse for 30 seconds or so until the mixture resembles a mix of larger and smaller breadcrumbs. Turn on the mixer and add a little ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until it just becomes a dough. Gather together into a ball and flatten into a disc, then wrap in cling film or foil and chill in the freezer for 5 mins while you make the filling.
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In a bowl, mix the filling ingredients together. Roll out the pastry to make a large circle about 5mm thick and place the blueberry filling in the centre, leaving a 2cm border all the way around the filling. Fold the pastry over all the way around over the filling, then brush the pastry with the beaten egg and bake for 30 mins, or until the pastry is golden and crispy and the filling is bubbling and dark. Allow to cool before serving warm or cold on its own or with some Greek yogurt, cream, sugar free ice cream or whipped coconut cream.
*Fancy taking this a slightly crazy step further nutritionally? Feeling brave? Try wilting a generous handful of spinach or kale until soft and adding it to the mixer and blitzing until incorporated after adding the butter. It gives the pastry a beautiful colour with none of the "greens flavour", although you may want to add a little more sweetener to compensate anyway.
**Swap the pastry for your favourite gluten free or dairy free one to make this pie gluten free/vegan if you like. I personally love Naomi Devlin's shortcrust pastry from her River Cottage Gluten Free book and have yet to find one that beats it, but this Tesco one is a good easy alternative. And for vegan, try Minimalist Baker's coconut oil pastry, which is delicious.