SKINNY SUMMER FRUIT PIES, CHERRY OR NECTARINE low sugar, fruit,

This one is for a summer day when rain patters gently off the leaves in the garden

Cherry Lattice Pie: Stock Photo

Fruit pies are lovely but not by any stretch of the imagination healthy -- pastry is high in fat and fillings are usually heavily sweetened.  

This skinny version has truly gorgeous, rich pastry but less of it to reduce calories. The pie relies on the natural sweetness of the fruit and has little sugar. 

For adults, a splash of cherry brandy or cognac adds sophistication to the cherries.  For the frugal, the Blogger used a filling of mixed sliced nectarines and halved raspberries sprinkled with a little sugar and cinnamon.

The pie has no bottom crust -- party to cut fat levels but also because summer fruits often make the bottom layer soggy.  In addition, the buttery, crumbly topping -- a cross between a cobbler and pastry -- doesn't cover the fruit completely.  The lattice pastry (see You Tube)  reduces the amount of potential damage to health! Of course, the pastry recipe can be doubled to cover the pie entirely.  Portion control also minimises calories. 

In North America, Cherry pies are second favourite to Apple, and in France, peach pie is popular. 

Feeds: 3-4 (the recipe doubles easily)
Costs: £4

Ingred:
   500gm/16 ounces cherries  OR nectarines & raspberries 
   1-3 tbsp sugar
   Juice of one orange 
   1/2 tsp extract of vanilla
   1-2 tbsp cognac or cherry brandy (opt)

Pastry
   2 oz/65gm self-raising flour
   pinch salt
   1 1/2 oz/45 gm diced, chilled unsalted butter
   2 tbsp double cream 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190c, 375f,  gas 6
2. Stone the cherries, using a stoning device or one end of a paper clip, extended. Or halve cherries and dig out stone.
3. Place fruit in a 6 inch/15 cm or equiv pie plate.  Sprinkle over sugar, vanilla and alcohol, if using.  Add orange juice.
4. Mix flour and salt.  Rub butter into flour into resembling peas.  Add Cream, mix well. Form into a dough ball.  Then, either: 
5. Place dough between two sheets of floured greaseproof paper; roll a centimetre thick; cut into strips about one inch/2 cm wide and make a lattice topping (See You Tube).  OR
6. if covering pie completely, double the pastry ingredients, roll dough between two sheets of lightly floured greaseproof paper a couple of inches wider than the pie plate ; cover fruit and tuck pastry down the sides 
7. Bake 35-40 mins.
8. Serve warm, not hot with ice cream or double cream.

Tips:

• replace cherries with nectarines cut into 8ths and halved raspberries; add 1 tsp cinnamon to the sugar
• for a crust that covers the pie completely, double the pastry recipe 

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Copyright: This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.