Recipe: Blackberry Pie

The Blackberry Pie was my trial run for the pie contest. This was my first attempt at making a homemade pie crust, and the kitchen stayed a mess for a good week after I made this pie. I even found flour on the cat. Overall, the blackberries gave this pie an immense amount of favor, and the lemon zest gave it depth. When I came home from work the day after I made it, I found a wooden spoon dug into it- the roommates approved-and there it sat on the kitchen counter for the week, the three of us digging into it each time we walked into the kitchen. It turned out a bit runny, but I blame it on the blackberries. A little vanilla ice cream fixes everything.

MAKES ONE 9-INCH DOUBLE-CRUST PIE

  

Dark and lustrous, this Blackberry Pie has undertones of orange. Blackberries can vary in sweetness a good deal, so sample your filling to make sure you have enough sugar—you may need more. You may also use less if the berries are very sweet.

Pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie

4 cups blackberries 

  

¾ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on the top crust

  

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca flakes

  

1 tablespoon orange zest 

  

Pinch salt

  

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed 

 

Roll out the pastry and line a 9 inch pie tin with the bottom crust. Roll out the remaining dough for the top crust. Rechill the pastry if necessary.

  

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

  

In a large bowl, gently toss the blackberries with the sugar, tapioca, zest, and salt. Scrape the filling into the bottom crust, dot the filling with the butter, and cover it with the second crust. Trim and crimp the crust; chill the pie for 10 minutes in the freezer. Cut vent slits in the top crust and sprinkle it lightly with sugar.

  

Bake the pie on a lipped baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until the crust looks dry, blistered, and blonde. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees, and bake for at least 30 minutes more, or until the crust is golden brown and visible juices are thickened and bubble slowly through slits in the top crust.

  

Cool the pie completely before cutting, at least a few hours. Serve it at room temperature. Store the pie uncovered at room temperature, up to three days.

Credit: Bubby's Homemade Pies (Wiley 2008)