Nettle & Chamomile Cherry Pie

Flakey nettle crust, sticky, sweet cherry pie filling, topped with a cloud of chamomile Swiss meringue.

Happy spring, my lovely friends! In celebration of the flavors of this time of the year, here is a chilled pie that tastes like springtide in a slice.

This pie features a brilliantly green nettle crust. This is a simple, all-butter pie crust with the addition of ground dried nettle. This gives the crust a lovely, herbaceous flavor that compliments the richness of the cherries and delicacy of the chamomile.

The cherry filling is a no-frills, sticky, and sweet number featuring lots of frozen dark sweet cherries. These cherries are cooked down gently over low heat with sugar, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla until they are thick and jammy. This filling is delicious on a piece of buttered toast as well!

The chamomile Swiss meringue is light and silky, with a delicate flavor and marshmallowy texture. Opposed to French meringue, the more popular style of meringue for pies and tarts, Swiss meringue is heated, allowing chamomile tea to infuse during the cooking process. I’ve lightly toasted the meringue with a blowtorch to add a lovely golden color and mild caramelized flavor.

I’ve piped the meringue in a crescent moon and star shapes and decorated (very aptly, might I add) with chamomile flowers, but, as always, decorate in whatever way speaks to you!