Elderberry and Apple Pie

Latin name: Sambucus Nigra (there are many other species found in various parts of the world - this is the common British and North European variety).

Also known as: Black Elder, Common Elder, European Elder, Elderbush

Not everybody likes the flavour of the raw berries which have slight metallic notes, but these are lost during cooking - I've known people who hate elderberries to say they love elderberry flapjack.

Elderberries.
Image: Martin Röll, used under GNU Free Documentation Licence.

Ingredients

Chestnut flour pastry - enough to form the pie casing in a 12" (30cm) pie dish. Some people like a thin, light crust, others like it thick so how much you need is up to you
4 Bramley apples or six to 8 wild apples
200g (7 oz) elderberries with the stalks removed
120g (4 oz) sugar
Nutmeg
Caster sugar (optional)



Pre-heat the oven to 200C (390F)
Use about two thirds of the pastry to make the pie base in the dish. Cut the apples into thin slices and combine them with the elderberries and sugar in a bowl, add nutmeg to taste. Place the resulting mix into the pie, then form the pie lid with the remaining pastry, crimping the edges. If you wish, add caster sugar sprinkled on the top, but be warned that chestnut flour is much sweeter than conventional flour - you can use a mixture of flour and soya milk (or normal milk, if you include dairy in your diet) brushed on the top so the sugar will stay in place or a beaten egg, but I find that most of it sticks on anyway. Prick the top with a fork to form holes for steam to escape or use a pie funnel if you have one.

Bake the pie at 200C for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 150C which will allow the filling to cook without the pastry becoming too hard and bake until the top is golden.

This recipe works well with any berries or with pears.

(recipe submitted by Hedge Chef)