The Gooseberry Pie Experiment

I said I'd get back to you on the results of the gooseberry pie experiment, and the result was a wonderfully quirky and delicious slice of summer. Like the fireflies of the Eastern US, these little green jewels come and go so quickly that they linger in your memory long after they've left the stage. Now I can't wait for them to come again next year to taste that fleeting flavor once more.

Gooseberry Pie

Crust (makes one 9" crust)
1 1/4 c. unbleached flour
Pinch salt
1 tsp. sugar
8 Tbsp. margarine (1 stick), frozen
2-3 Tbsp. ice water

Filling
4 c. gooseberries
1 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch or other thickener
1/2 tsp. egg white

Put flour, salt and sugar in food processor. Pulse to combine. Add margarine in slices. Pulse till the texture of cornmeal. Turn processor on and add water till it makes a solid ball. Remove, wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hr. Repeat for top crust.

In large bowl, mix gooseberries, sugar and cornstarch. Roll out dough for bottom crust and place in pie plate. Brush egg white over bottom of crust and add filling. Roll out top crust and place on top of filling. Trim and crimp edges. Bake in 450-degree oven for 10 min., turn heat down to 350 degrees and back 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.