Magdalena Buzzard’s Classic Mennonite Elderberry Pie

“Out of Old Ontario Kitchens tells the stories, along with the recipes, of our culinary past – of the foods we once hunted and gathered; fished and foraged; grew and gardened; cooked and baked and preserved, in a world before monocultures, industrial farming, colossal supermarkets, and food shipped around the world in plastic containers. There is both beauty and food for thought here as food production and security are increasingly set to be the most important issues facing our planet.”

 

Print

Magdalena Buzzard's Classic Mennonite Elderberry Pie

Course Dessert

Ingredients

  • pastry for a double-crust pie
  • 4-5 cups elderberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • pinch cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup water I may use slightly less in future
  • handful of flour” – I used 4 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour)

Instructions

  • Begin by lining a pie plate with pastry.
  • Mix the washed sorted berries with the sugar, cinnamon, water, and flour.
  • "Check for sweetness and add more sugar, if necessary." (I chose not to do this and the amount of sugar was perfect for my taste.)
  • Place the elderberry mixture into the unbaked pie crust.
  • Add the top crust and brush with a little milk and sprinkle with sugar.
  • “Kringle the pie crust edges together.” (I wasn’t sure what this meant but I usually use a fork to press my two layers of pastry together and create a seal.)
  • Cut some slits in the top of the pie for venting.
  • Bake at 350°F (175°C) until crust is browned and berry mixture is bubbling – about 45-60 minutes. Let stand an hour (or morbefore serving.