Click any image to enlarge.
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get the berries - wild ones taste better  |
choose juicy black ones...  |
watch out for thorns...  |
why not eat some now?  |
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leave a few for the birds  |
this is enough for one pie  |
you'll also need Bramley apples (not eating apples)  |
they'll soak up the blackberry juice...  |
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...plus flour, sugar, butter, salt (2 parts flour to 1 part butter)  |
first, make the pastry: weigh out the flour...  |
...and the butter  |
add the salt and the 2 tablespoons of sugar  |
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crumble the mix together with your fingers  |
mix thoroughly by hand  |
so it looks like this...  |
...the consistency of breadcrumbs  |
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using a knife, gradually add water...  |
...just enough to bind the mix  |
put the pastry in the fridge (why? chilled pastry is easier to roll)  |
peel the cooking apples  |
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this is enough fruit for one pie  |
next, prepare a clean surface for rolling the pastry  |
grease a pie dish with butter  |
weigh out the 150g of sugar  |
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slice the peeled apples  |
add a little sugar as you proceed  |
and some more...  |
sprinkle flour on the rolling surface - to stop the pastry sticking  |
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ensure it's covered  |
for the pie base, coax 2/3 of the dough into a ball...  |
flatten the ball with the rolling pin  |
rotate the pastry 90° and flatten again  |
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er, like this...  |
if the pastry sticks, rub a little flour on the pin  |
looking good  |
need to get it thinner  |
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roll out the corners  |
and the sides  |
done!  |
wrap the pastry around the rolling pin-  |
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-then unroll it over the pie dish  |
using your fingers, mould to the shape of the dish  |
use a knife to trim off the surplus  |
hmm, they're a few edges to repair...  |
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use some surplus pieces to repair the edges  |
nearly finished...  |
place a blackbird funnel in the centre  |
add the slices of apple  |
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and then a layer of those wild berries  |
more apple slices, with a sprinkling of sugar  |
top with the remaining berries  |
now to make the pie lid...  |
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work the pastry into a ball  |
more rolling  |
more flour  |
all this will be worth the effort!  |
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will the lid be big enough?  |
test the pastry lid for size -yes!  |
roll around the pin -  |
and then -  |
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unroll over the pie  |
the blackbird needs air!  |
- quick  |
>gasp<  |
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trim the edges  |
use your thumbs to seal the lid to the base  |
a final trim  |
brush the top with milk for a nice glaze  |
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bake in an oven, gas mark 5 (190°C or 375°F)  |
don't waste the apple cores and skins -  |
- feed the worms  |
this bit you don't see in cook books  |
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it's called clearing up  |
never mind  |
...30 minutes later  |
eat with single cream -scrumptious!  |