In September the hedgerows are usually bursting with elderberries, and it seems only the birds take any notice. You may have some elder bushes in the school grounds, so this recipe is a great way to try this free seasonal treat.
Don’t be put off by the taste of the raw berries…cooking transforms them.
Ingredients
Per pair of children (makes about 6 tarts)
For the pastry
4 tablespoons (60g) of plain flour
1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
15g of vegetarian shortening (or lard)
15g of butter
½ - 1 tablespoon of ice cold water
For the filling
4 tablespoons of elderberries
1 tablespoon of caster sugar
01Preheat the oven to 425F/220C/gas mark 7
02Put the flour, butter and the shortening/lard in a mixing bowl. Chop the solids into small pieces, then rub them into the flour using the ends of your fingers until all the lumps have disappeared
03Add the sugar and then the cold water a teaspoon at a time. Mix with a spoon until you can shape it into a soft dough
04Sprinkle a little flour onto the work surface and roll out the pastry with a rolling pin or jam jar. Start from the centre and roll it outwards. The pastry should be less than ½ cm thick
05Grease the tart tin with a little butter or oil
06Use a circular pastry cutter to press out circles to use as the tart bottoms, and then cut another set of circles for the tops
07Separate the elderberries from the stalks using a fork, then mix the elderberries and caster sugar in a bowl
08Spoon the berries into the pie cases, heaping them into the middle
09Wet your finger and moisten the edge of pastry lids, then lay the lids on the pies, pressing down the outer edge to seal. Cut a small slit in the top to let the air out
10Dust with some sugar and bake for 10-15 minutes or until pastry is cooked
