Gooseberry Pie

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Pull off tops and tails of gooseberries and halve berries lengthwise. In a 10-inch heavy skillet cook berries and 1 cup sugar over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in tapioca and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter and cool completely.

   Step 2

   Preheat oven to 400°F.

   Step 3

   On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out larger piece of dough into a 12-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Fit round into a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate. Roll out remaining dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and with a fluted pastry wheel or sharp knife cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Fill shell with cooled filling and brush edge of shell lightly with water.

   Step 4

   Arrange about 6 pastry strips, parallel to each other and about 1/2 inch apart, over filling, pressing ends of strips to edge of shell to seal. (Reserve remaining pastry for another use.) Trim edge of pastry and crimp decoratively. Melt remaining tablespoon butter and brush over pastry. Sprinkle pastry strips with remaining teaspoon sugar, being careful not to sprinkle crimped edge of pie (sugar may burn).

   Step 5

   Bake pie in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until edge is just golden. While pie is baking, cut a 12-inch square of foil and with scissors cut out a 7- to 8-inch round, discarding round. Put foil on top of pie to keep edge from burning and bake pie 30 minutes more, or until filling is bubbling all over and pastry strips are golden. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.