Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Blueberry/Blackberry Pie in All-Butter Crust



This is a very moist pie. I prefer that to a gloppy, cornstarch pie filling. If you prefer, use tapioca, or cornstarch, or even more flour to thicken the filling. Mind, I still think you should learn to enjoy pie the way I think you should, but I'm not your mother, so I won't insist. This makes a pretty spectacular pie.

For The Crust:

2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 cup very cold butter cut into small bits
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
(about) 6 teaspoons ice water
2 tablespoons butter to dot berries
Milk and sugar for topping

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or if you're suffering poor circulation like me-your fingertips (Ha! I knew this stupid disease would pay off. I can make pastry, in summer, with my bare hands). Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time by sprinkling it lightly over the dough. Gather it together in a ball, divide in two and flatten into disks. Wrap in cling film and chill several hours.

Roll out pie crust.

For the Pie:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine 6 tablespoons flour, and 1 cup cinnamon sugar (use cinnamon to your taste-mine was about 1/2 teaspoon). In another large bowl, combine about a quart (more or less) of fresh berries-I used a combination of blackberries and blueberries. Lightly toss berries with sugar/flour combination. Pour into lined pie plate. Dot with butter and place on top crust. Cut vents. Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place pie plate on a baking sheet (just to be careful) and bake about 40 minutes or until done. Cool on a rack. I served mine still slightly warm...and oh my gosh was it ever good. I say that as someone who bakes nice pies, but rarely eats them. This one is really special. I'd probably never be able to reproduce it in a million years, but I'm publishing the recipe here in case I decide to try. Really, if you bake a pie this summer, it should be this one. It is completely worth the hours you'll spend picking blackberry seeds out of your teeth.

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