Pioneer Blueberry Pie
Blueberry season is sadly coming to and end this year, though that means we are about to the enter the short and sweet season of blackberries and peaches. Soon there will be apples, and then winter will somehow have made her way back to Iowa. It really is quite calming and wonderful to follow the seasons by what fruits and vegetables are ripened. I would like to lean into that more each year and possibly document it in a little journal sometime. I think that would be a wonderful thing to find in the future, for me and perhaps even for someone else.
I purchased a 10 pound box of blueberries from the little Amish shop down the road and used the contents to make blueberry jam, blueberry syrup, blueberry butter, and I even froze some to use in smoothies and baked goods over the winter. There was still a bit leftover to use for fresh baking, so I thought a blueberry pie was in order. It has been quite some time since I baked a pie, and this one felt straight out of an old storybook. I had to share!
ingredients & recipe:
for the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup cold butter or lard, cubed
6-8 tbsp ice water
1 egg + 1 tbsp water for egg wash
2 tsp coarse sugar
for the pie filling:
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp salted butter, cubed
directions:
First, begin by making the pie crusts. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Incorporate the cold butter or lard with your fingertips, smashing it as flat as possible in clumps the size of a pea. Try to do this quickly as to not let the fat melt. Begin to add in the water by mixing with a fork, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a cohesive dough starts to form. Bring the dough together with your hands. There should be hardly any dry bits at the bottom of the bowl. Diving the dough into two equal sized pieces, flatten them into discs, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl, gently mix together the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, egg, and cornstarch.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the discs of pie dough to a 12-inch circle. Gently roll the edge of the pie dough around the rolling pin and transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan. Unroll the dough from the rolling pin into the pie pan. Trim the edge of the pie crust, leaving a 1-inch lip around the entire pan. Fold the edge of the pie crust under and flute the edges with your fingertips. With a fork, poke holes into the bottom of the crust all over.
Next, roll out the second half of the pie dough to a 12-inch circle. This will be the top crust. You may leave it whole, cut out designs as I did, or make it into a lattice. This is the part where you can be creative with your design!
In a small dish, whisk together the egg and water for the egg wash. Brush the bottom crust all over with the egg wash; this helps to create a seal between the crust and the filling to prevent a soggy bottom. Fill the bottom of the crust with the blueberry filling, reserving as much of the excess liquid as possible. Top the blueberry filling with the 2 tablespoons of butter.
Cover the filling with the top crust. Trim down the edges of the top crust and press them into the edge of the bottom crust. Brush the entire top crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the crust is deeply browned and the filling is bubbling. Let the pie sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
This pie so sweet and delicious. While it is absolutely lovely warm from the oven, I do enjoy it cold, too! It tastes wonderful with a splash of cold milk served over the top. Enjoy!
xoxo Kayla
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