From Garden to Table: Blueberry Pie II

Hi everybody! A couple of summers ago, I shared a recipe for a blueberry pie made using the blueberries grown in my garden. I'm back in the kitchen again this summer with an enthusiastic grin, baking yet another pie using the delicious homegrown berries from the same blueberry bushes.

I've been experimenting with pie crust recipes since that time, and at last I've found the pie crust of my dreams! It's from Martha Stewart and is the best recipe to use if you love a crisp, light crust - not too sweet or too salty.

Pate Brisse

Martha Stewart

Yield: 1 double crust pie

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt and sugar. Add butter, and using a pastry blender, process until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add half the ice water and mix with a large wooden spoon or your hands until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky. To test, squeeze a small amount together: if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. This dough may also be stored, frozen up to 1 month.

The filling I made is a standard recipe from my old, dogeared Fannie Farmer cookbook (pictured above):

Blueberry Pie Filling

1 quart blueberries, rinsed and stems removed
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Roll out one of your chilled disc-shaped pie doughs and transfer into the pie pan. Add the flour, sugar and salt to the blueberries in a large bow and mix well. Pour into your prepared pie pan.

Roll out the other chilled pie dough and place it over the pie, crimping the edges. Pierce the top crust. 

Bake at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. 

Once my pie was assembled I used cookie cutters to cut shapes from the leftover pie dough and baked them separately from the pie. Just before serving I added the cut shapes to the top of the pie for a fun decorative touch. 

Thanks for looking!