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Oldbury Tart

Pies and Pastries
Gloucestershire

A raised pie with a gooseberry and brown sugar filling in a sweetened hot water shortcrust pastry case formed into a distinctive, pleated, shape.


Oldbury tart by: https://fredandbutter.tumblr.com/



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A recipe for the Oldbury Tart courtesy of Sue Keedwell who lives in the village of Oldbury-on-Severn where these tarts have been made for around 200 years!

Ingredients

1lb plain flour
11/2 lbs small young gooseberries
1lb soft brown sugar
1/2 lb granulated sugar
6 ozs lard
2 level tsp icing sugar
1 level tsp salt
1 tea cup boiling water

Melt lard in a pan with the water. Sift salt, icing sugar and flour together into a bowl.
Allow water and lard to cool and then add to flour in the bowl. When cool enough to handle, turn out onto a flowered surface and knead quickly until it is soft and pliable.
Divide into 16 balls, dividing each ball into a smaller and a larger ball (1 to 3). These make the base and the lid of the tart.

Now the fun really begins!
First wash, top and tail the gooseberries, next mix the two sugars together in a bowl, put both to one side.
Take one of the larger balls and roll into an 8” disc, taking care to keep it as round as possible. Make a total of 3 discs, then take the one that has rested and create the 1/2 inch walls of the tart using 3 or 4 pleats.
Line the base of the tart with gooseberries and then add two or three tablespoons full of the sugar mix.

Next take one of the smaller balls and roll out in to a round lid of approx 31/2 in diameter. Make a hole in the middle of the lid.
Place the lid on the tart by neatly crimping the outside edge of the tart with your thumb and index finger.

Cooking
Place on a lightly floured baking sheet, eight at a time. Before cooking store in a cool place overnight, or put in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours to toughen the pastry.
Cook for about 10 mins at 200C, gas mark 8 and then 25 to 30 mins at a medium heat, 180C, gas mark 4. If using frozen gooseberries, cook for 15 mins in a hot oven (200C).

Serving
The tarts can be served warm or cold with cream. They do not keep very long, not that this is usually a problem.
People who do not like gooseberries have been known to love them!!






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