Free-form Berry Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • Pastry
    • 325ml (1⅓ cups) flour (+ extra if necessary)
    • 45ml (3 tbs) icing sugar (powdered)
    • 5ml (1 tsp) salt
    • 125g (4.5 oz) unsalted butter
    • 30ml (2 tbs) iced water
    • 10ml (2 tsp) lemon juice
  • Filling
    • 750ml (3 cups) mixed fresh berries
    • 60ml (¼ cup) icing sugar
    • 5ml (1 tsp) lemon rind
    • 60ml (¼ cup) ground almonds
    • 15ml (1 tbs) extra castor sugar
    • 1 egg
    • icing sugar

Method

  1. For the Pastry: Place the flour, icing sugar and salt in food processor. Pulse to mix together. Cut the butter into pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with the iced water and lemon juice and process to make a dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes before using.
  2. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  3. For the Filling: Toss the berries in a bowl with the icing sugar and lemon rind.
  4. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface into a 26cm (10-inch) circle. It should not be too thin. Place on a lined baking tray and sprinkle with the ground almonds. Pile the berry mixture into the middle of the pastry, leaving a border free of the filling. Fold in the pastry to form an edge to enclose the berries. Sprinkle with the castor sugar.
  5. Lightly beat an egg and brush the pastry on the outside. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Remove from the fridge and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with some icing sugar just before serving.