One of the best things about the summer season in Cyprus is undeniably all the delicious fruit. We have a huge selection of local and imported fruit and vegetables at Prinos Farm&Deli. And one of our absolute favourites of these seasonal treats, is the intensely flavoursome little cherry.

The season for this delectable fruit starts around May-June and continues throughout the summer. So now is the best time to pick up some cherries and make the most of their incredible health benefits.

But what are the nutritional benefits of cherries? Well, firstly they are a rich source of nutrients, minerals and vitamins. Cherries are particularly high in Vitamin C, which keeps your immune system strong and your skin healthy. They also contain high quantities of potassium, which helps the muscles, nervous system and blood pressure. Meanwhile, the fibre found in cherries supports the digestive system. This succulent and juicy fruit is also a good source of B Vitamins, beta-carotene Vitamin K, manganese, copper and magnesium.

Cherries are also antioxidant powerhouses, because they are packed with plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This means that the sweet fruit can help protect the body against chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease and premature aging. They can also help reduce inflammation or damage in the muscles and joints, help you sleep and protect the heart. How? By helping to fight cell damage and free radicals and reducing inflammation.

 In fact, the cherry is so loved in Cyprus that there are even festivals arranged to honour the fruit. These festivals take place in the Troodos Mountain villages where the trees are cultivated and the island’s main cherry crops are grown. Villages such as such as Treis Elies outside Limassol, where the Cherry Fest – Treis Elies event usually takes place in early June. Or Pedoulas village, which hosts the Pedoulas Cherry Festival in early June. And finally, one of the longest running festivals – the Platanistasa Cherry Festival – normally happens in Late June.

These tasty superfruits are particularly healthy and delicious when eaten raw. However, there are many alternative uses for cherries in Cyprus. Such as the Glyko Kerassi cherry spoon sweets preserved in syrup. Or cherry preserve jam to enjoy spread on fresh bread or stirred into yogurt.

But one of our very favourite summer cherry recipes has to be cherry pie. And to help you recreate the dish, we’ve shared our Chef’s very own cherry pie recipe here. So, all you need to do is pick up your ingredients from Prinos Farm&Deli and get cooking!

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cherries

• 500 grams of fresh, ripe cherries
• 100 grams of sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• Powdered sugar for garnish
• 4 eggs

For the Pie

• 100 grams of sugar
• 160 grams of sour cream
• 2 vanilla pods or 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 1 pinch of salt
• 100 grams of flour

METHOD

1. First, preheat the oven to 180°C. Note: When ready to bake, the cake should be placed on the middle grill.
2. Over a bowl, wash the cherries, remove the stalks and the stones. Make sure to catch any cherry juice in the bowl for use later.
3. In the same bowl, sprinkle the sugar over the cherries and add the lemon zest. Now, stir with a spoon a few times to allow the cherries to release some of their juices and the sugar to begin to melt. Cover and set aside.
4. Next, take the flour and sift through a fine sieve, then set aside.
5. Separate the yolks from the egg whites into two clean bowls. Then, add the sugar and vanilla to the yolks and beat with a hand blender on high speed for around 6-7 minutes, or until the sugar melts and the yolks become light and fluffy.
6. Reduce the speed of the mixer and alternately add the flour and sour cream to the mixture. Make sure to start with flour and finish with flour while the mixer is running at low speed.
7. Now take the bowl with the egg whites and add a pinch of salt, then beat for 2-3 minutes with a clean hand blender ‘on medium speed until it forms soft peaks.
8. Add half this egg white meringue to the egg yolk mixture and beat with the blender on low speed. Then gently fold in the rest using a spatula until the mixture is completely blended.
9. Next, butter your pan on both the base and the sides, before placing in the preheated oven for 4-5 minutes.
10. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and then empty the cherry mixture into it, before adding the cake mixture on top and flattening it all down with your spatula.
11. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown, the cherry pie is stabilised, and the cherry syrup is visible on the sides of the pan.
12. Finally, remove the cherry pie from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes before sprinkling with icing sugar for garnish and serving with whipped cream or ice cream.

There are so many delicious cherry recipes out there for you to try. And as it’s still summer 2021 in Cyprus, now is the time to stock up on cherries and start experimenting.

So now that you have the recipe and your ingredients from Prinos Farm&Deli, all that’s left is to try making cherry pie from scratch yourselves. Make sure to take a picture of your final creation and share it on social media for your friends to see! Don’t forget to tag us and we’ll share it in our stories.

Find your nearest Prinos shop in Nicosia and Larnaca.

Don’t forget that you can always put your order online at dev.prinos.eu.

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