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Meggyes pite
Sour cherry slice
Hungarian sour cherry slice with a tender pastry top and bottom
Hungarian grandmothers bake meggyes pite in a big rectangular tin in June, when sour cherries hang from every garden tree, and the rest of the year with jarred ones from the pantry. Two layers of soft, almost cakey pastry made with sour cream hold a tart, juicy cherry layer, and the top disappears under a snowfall of icing sugar. Squares of it turn up at Sunday lunch, in school lunch boxes and on the plate next to an afternoon coffee. Skipping the semolina is the mistake that gives a soggy middle: it soaks up the cherry juice as it bakes. Chef's tip: drain jarred or thawed cherries in a sieve for a good 30 minutes and keep the juice for a drink or a sauce.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 14 oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 ⅞ oz icing sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 7 oz cold butterdiced
- 3 ½ oz sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon zest
For the filling
- 1 ½ lb pitted sour cherriesfresh, frozen and thawed, or drained from a jar
- 1 ⅜ oz semolina
- 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
To finish
- 2 tbsp icing sugarfor dusting
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain 1 ½ lb pitted sour cherries in a sieve for 30 minutes, pressing them lightly now and then.
30 minStep 2: Mix 14 oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 ⅞ oz icing sugar and 1 pinch salt, then rub in 7 oz cold butter until crumbly. Add 2 egg yolks, 3 ½ oz sour cream and 1 tsp lemon zest and press into a soft dough without kneading. Halve, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line a 23 × 33 cm tin with baking paper.
Step 4: Roll one half of the dough on floured baking paper to the size of the tin and lift it in. Prick all over with a fork.
Step 5: Mix 1 ⅜ oz semolina, 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar and ½ tsp ground cinnamon and sprinkle half evenly over the base. Scatter the cherries over it, then sprinkle with the rest of the semolina mix.
Step 6: Roll the second half of the dough to the same size and lay it on top. Prick the top every few centimetres so steam can escape.
Step 7: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is pale golden and firm when pressed, and a little juice bubbles at the edges.
45 minStep 8: Cool in the tin, then dust thickly with 2 tbsp icing sugar and cut into squares. It keeps for 3 days, covered.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does meggyes pite take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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