Quandong (Urti) Native Peach Pie Recipe from Warndu Mai

Quandong (Urti) Santalum Acuminatum

Native Peach probably one of the more common Australian Native fruits in our pantry today. The perfect fruits come in many shades of pink right through to jewel like red. A popular fruit for its tartness but also widely used for the large seed/kernel inside which is used to make jewellery. They are also great little Vitamin C boost too.

Damien's fondest childhood memories are of picking Quandong (urti in his language) all around the Flinders Ranges. They would pick bags full and eat them both fresh and freeze some for later days. His Nana Barb would always make Urti Pie too. It is definitely our favourite Quandong recipe so we wanted to share it with you.

Urti Pie (Quandong Pie or Native Peach Pie)

For the pastry

2 cups (300 g) self-raising flour

1 cup (150 g) plain flour

200 g butter, chilled and chopped

125 ml iced water

pinch of salt

sugar, for sprinkling on pastry top

For the filling

500 g fresh (or frozen and thawed) Quandong, for sprinkling. If you can't get fresh or frozen for every 1 cup frozen, start with half a cup dried half, evaporated.

¾ cup caster sugar, plus extra

1 cup water (just enough to cover the Quandong) or orange juice

1 egg , beaten

2 tbsp cream 

Method

1. Combine the fruit with the sugar and orange juice, stir, cover and let stand for at least five minutes, or, if you have time, leave overnight. This will create a thicker filling.

2. Transfer the quandong mixture to a saucepan and cook on low for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently. 

3. Preheat oven to 180°C. To make the pastry: Place flours and butter in a large bowl and rub with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add water and mix with a butter knife until the pastry just comes together. Divide into 2 portions and roll each out to a 28 cm circle on a well-floured surface. 

4. Line a lightly greased baking tin with one circle of pastry. Prick the base with a fork. Fill with quandong filling, and trim the edge of the pastry. Cut remaining pastry into smaller circles using a 7 cm round cutter.

5. Mix the egg and the cream together. Brush the edges of the pastry with mixture. Lay circles of pastry over the pie, overlapping slightly. Brush the top of the pie with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden.

Cooking tips: What to do when you can't get fresh Australian native fruits 

Warndu sells Quandong in freeze-dried kibble so you can enjoy this flavour year round. Sometimes this is mispelt as qandong.