In preparation for our study trip to a Wild Food Festival in Finland, I have made a version of the Finnish version of a blueberry pie, the Mustikkapiirakka. I used Scottish blaeberries and hogweed seeds foraged at our last #wildwondersproject near the end of July.
I (Jim Riach) run Trossachs Biking and Bushcraft and we are excited to be part of the Scottish Wild Food Festival this year. We are offering a range of course like, Firelighting for Foragers and What’s in Season at Cardross, a guided walk.
The crumbly base is made with a combination of rye flour and all-purpose flour, and a luscious sour cream and blaeberry filling, this Finnish Blaeberry Pie is a go-to summer dessert.
This recipe adapted from the many to be found on the internet and uses wild blaeberries and foraged hogweed seeds.
Make sure you get your identification correct before collecting any wild ingredients and don’t forget to forage sustainably!
Blaeberries: In Finland, they traditionally use blueberries or sometimes called bilberries to make Mustikkapiirakka. Bilberries are forest berries native to Europe, smaller than shop bought American or home grown farmed blueberries, although the species are closely related and belong to the same genus, Vaccinium. Blaeberries grow singly or in pairs, rather than in clusters as blueberries do. A berry comb is a useful tool for harvesting, though you will need to pick out the leaves before the berries can be used.
Preheat the oven to 190C Start by making the crust, which consists of:
• a combination of rye flour and all-purpose flour (100g of each)
• butter, (100g unsalted at room temp)
• cane sugar, (100g)
• egg, (1 large)
• baking powder, (1tsp)
• and a pinch of hogweed seeds. (fresh and chopped or dried)
The dough is soft and is pressed and spread in the well buttered tart pan with your hands, then pricked with a fork and pre-baked, empty, or filled with ceramic beads, for 10 minutes.
Next, the fresh blaeberries go on top of the par-baked crust about 250g or whatever you have collected.
The filling: While the crust is blind baking, make the creamy filling, which is a combination of:
• sour cream (25g)
• egg (1 egg)
• cane sugar (50g)
• vanilla (1tsp)
• hogweed seeds (pinch of chopped or ground and few for decoration)
all whisked together to obtain a thin, luscious, aromatic cream.
Fill, and bake again!
So you have the pre-baked crust and the fresh blaeberries spread on top. Now you carefully pour the filling over and around the berries and spread gently with a spatula until the crust is filled evenly. Return to the oven (190C) and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the middle is set, but not too dry and firm. It will dense up as it cools down. Leave it in the pan to cool for 40 minutes.