The Ground Cherry is a little orange fruit that resembles a cherry tomato in size and form and is encased in a husk that is light brown and paper-like in appearance. This fruit is endemic to Latin America. It has a family tree with the tomatillo as well as the Cape Gooseberry. You may find ground cherries all over the Eastern United States, from Canada to Florida, in abandoned fields, meadows, along roadsides, and in other waste locations.
The taste of pulverized cherry is slightly sweet and tangy, similar to how the flavors of a pineapple and a tomato might combine if you were to combine them. Once it has been removed from its husk, it may be eaten raw or used as a seasoning in salads, desserts, and in jams and jellies. It can also be used in cooking. They are also able to be dried out and consumed in a manner quite similar to that of raisins or other little dried fruits.
In traditional Chinese medicine, ground cherry is used as a treatment for a wide variety of ailments, including but not limited to abscesses, coughs, fevers, and sore throats. Because it has extremely few calories, very little fat, and no cholesterol, it is an excellent choice for diets aimed at weight reduction. The ground cherry is an excellent source of vitamin A, as well as vitamins B3 and C. Pectin, which may aid in the control of our blood sugar levels, is also included in ground cherry.
On warm days in October, you could see ground cherries on sale at farmer’s markets or stalls along the highway. They should be purchased when they are ripe, which means the color of the fruit should be orange. The ground cherry, in contrast to many other fruits of the berry size, should remain fresh for many weeks if it is stored in its husk.
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Image created by Pen Waggener and made available via the Creative Commons license with attribution 2.0 generic.
Ground Cherry Pie
Ingredients:
For the pie crust
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
4 -5 tablespoons ice water
1 teaspoon salt
For the pie filling
2 1/2 cups of ground cherries, husks removed
1/2 cup agave syrup
2 tablespoons water
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. For the crust: Combine flour and salt in a food processor.
3. Slowly add cubes of chilled butter.
4. Slowly add ice water until the dough forms a ball.
5. Roll out the dough for the pie crust bottom and place in a pie pan.
6. There is enough dough to make a lattice or rustic top crust.
7. For the filling: Mix cherries, agave syrup, water, and flour in a bowl.
8. Pour into pie pan on top of bottom crust.
9. Make lattice or rustic top crust and place on top of filling.
10. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 30 minutes, until the pie filling is set.
Servings: 6-8
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