Its a another Friday and that means one thing at The Latest Supper – another opportunity to share my table with friends and family.
Tonight’s mains aren’t anything spectacular – homemade rissole and chips, like Mam used to make. For dessert I am serving my Merry Berry Pie. Berry medley with a shortcrust pastry.
For the pastry I am using 110g plain flour sifted into the mixer bowl, 50g of baking margarine, a pinch of salt and 1-1.5tbs of water. Using the dough hook I mix on low speed until the flour and margarine are combined. Using water if the mixture becomes too dry.
When formed as a dough turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead. Next cover with clingfilm and refrigerate.
For the filling, I am using frozen berry medley that I have to be the most economical way of having berries out of season. A generous quantity goes into my pie dish (can use a deep plate – mam used to). Sweeten the fruit to taste. Usually they are quite tart so don’t be shy!
The pastry after approximately 20 minutes should be ready to be rolled. Make sure the surface is well dusted as well as your rolling pin. No pin – no problem – refill a pop bottle with water, lose the label and any adhesive and whoosh – a rolling pin.
Roll the pastry lightly, alternating the direction by rotating the pastry to a thickness of 1 centimetre or 1/2″.
Cover the pie dish, trimming over hanging pastry with a sharp knife. Seal the outside (circumference by pushing down with a fork), and don’t forget you need to a chimney for steam from the fruit to escape, so a couple of cuts in the 
centre should so it. Beat an egg and brush the pastry lightly as it colours to a lovely brown colour when baked.
Preheated oven of 180-200C (its your oven so you should know the Gas mark or whether its a fan assisted oven!) and baked on the middle shelf for at least 30 minutes until the pastry has that lovely brown colour.
If you’re looking for perfection then stick to Mr Kipling, if you want a reminder of how mam & mamgu cooked then tuck in…mwynhau!
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