Mixed berry and pear pie with rosewater

ingredients

• • 3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup caster sugar
  • 300 gram chilled butter, chopped
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoon chilled water
  • icing sugar to serve

• Filling

  • 750 gram frozen mixed berries
  • 2 pears, peeled, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon cornflour
  • 2 teaspoon rosewater

method

• • 1

    Preheat oven to hot, 200°C.

  • 2

    Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add yolks, lemon zest and water.

  • 3

    Mix to a pliable dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

  • 4

    For the filling: In a saucepan, combine half the frozen berries, pears and lemon juice. Cook, covered, on medium for 3-4 minutes until tender.

  • 5

    Stir in sugar and cornflour. Boil for for 2-3 minutes. Stir in remaining berries and rosewater. Cool.

  • 6

    Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan. Roll out pastry between baking paper until 3mm thick. Ease into pan. Chill for 15 minutes. Trim edges. Blind bake with ceramic baking beans or rice for 15 minutes.

  • 7

    Remove paper and weights, then bake for a further 10 minutes. Brush with a little egg yolk (see recipe tip). Bake for 5 minutes.

  • 8

    Roll out remaining pastry. Cut into 2cm fluted pastry strips. Spoon filling into case. Arrange pastry strips over filling, trimming. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

notes

• Brushing the empty pastry case with egg, then baking it, helps to seal it and prevent sogginess.