The Cultivated Blackberries in my garden have grown really well this year and a ripening beautifully. I have been picking and freezing them. I like my cultivated variety because the blackberries are huge, fat and juicy, but the real bonus is there are no thorns on the plant! The other morning I had a chicken by my feet doing vertical jumps, trying to peck the bag of blackberries our of my hand. They love the soft fruit and there is enough to go round. When the chickens keep laying such fantastic eggs I can't begrudge them some fruit. I do object to them scratching in my vegetable beds though and shoo them off a bit over enthusiastically.
Gala Pie
Ingredients
500g of shortcrust pastry to line a 2lb loaf tin
400g of sausage meat
150g of diced Pork loin (I used loin steaks and snipped them up)
150g of bacon, I used lardons.
1 onion very finely diced
2 tablespoons of Freshly chopped sage
4 large hard boiled Eggs Peeled (or six smaller ones)
Pepper to taste
Egg Yolk to glaze the pastry
Method
Line the loaf tin with shortcrust pastry, roll out a pastry lid for the pie and reserve...
Mix the sausage, pork and bacon together with the onion and sage. Add pepper to your own taste.
Spoon half of the meat mixture into the pastry case.
Place the hard boiled eggs into the mixture.
Cover the eggs with the remaining half of the meat.
Place on the pastry lid.
Brush with Egg yolk to glaze.
Put in a hot oven for 25 - 30 minutes.
Cover with foil and cook in a medium oven for an hour.
Brush again with the egg yolk glaze and cook on high for a further 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.
With some spare egg whites I whizzed up some meringues. I don't have an electric whisk so Euan and I took turns until our muscles ached, but the reward was worth it.
Edit: If you do happen to find yourself with a glut of Blackberries this year (and I strongly suggest you do!)
'A Trifle Rushed' has a Fantastic Use for Them, Here:
Oh what fun!!I'm impressed with your thornless blackberries! and who can resist gala pie!yummm xxxx
ReplyDeleteWhat a GREAT post! My chooks have eaten their way through my raspberries on the lower branches ~ one is in lay and the other two are point of lay, so I am not too bothered,but I hope the rasps induce the two POL to lay soon!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE gala pie and yours looks amazing!
Karen
Cultivated blackberries sound like a great idea! I have lots of tiny cuts on my hnads from picking wild ones earlier in the week :(
ReplyDeleteOnce again, you have given some fantastic recipes and I will definitely be trying the Gala Pie :)
When can I come round for tea ha ha :)
After years of battling thornes (and nettles - they just love bramble bushes!) I'm all for cultivated blackberries, quicker, easier and lovelier!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely!!! I am salivating.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding this to the New May Herbs on Saturday Blog Recipe Challenge!
ReplyDelete