Blackberry Pie

Our dear friend Betty dropped off two huge bags filled with yummy blackberries!  Berries are so expensive, so I was very excited.  I decided to make my family a Blackberry Pie for our Sunday meal!  

In my family, pie is more of a celebratory dessert.  We have pies mainly for Christmas and Thanksgiving.  So this is a fun and rare treat to have.  

They're just so classy and beautiful looking! 

Ingredients:

2.5 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup vegetable shortening

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp milk, to glaze

For the filling:

6 cups of blackberries (or any kind of berries, or mixed)

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)

1 tsp of lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

3 tbsp of Corn Starch

Instructions:

1. Pour 2 1/2 c flour and 1/2 tsp salt into bowl.  Add 3/4 c shortening, cutting it in with 2 knives, 3-5 minutes.
2. With your fingertips, rub shortening into the flour to make it more crumbly.
3. Add 2 Tbsp sugar.  Pour in 6 Tbsp of ICE WATER.
4. Mix lightly with a fork.
5. Press crumbs into a ball.  Roll it around for a little bit to make the ball nice and smooth.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Sprinkle flour onto your counter so your dough doesn't stick (use 2/3 of dough for bottom crust).  Rub your rolling pin with flour too.
7. Roll dough onto your rolling pin so you can easily transfer it to your pie dish.
8. Trim off any excess dough on the edges with a knife.
9. FILLING: Add 6 cups of blackberries, 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 tsp of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 3 Tbsp of Corn Starch.  Mix carefully and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Pour filling into pie dish.
10. Take your leftover dough and create a top for your pie. 
11. Make sure you cut an "X" or something into the pie to let the steam escape.
12. Bake in the oven for 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  THEN turn down your oven to 350 degrees, you're going to grab some foil and cover the top of the pie and cook for an additional 30 minutes!

Instructions with pictures

Pour 2 1/2 c flour and 1/2 tsp salt into bowl.  Add 3/4 c shortening, cutting it in with 2 knives, 3-5 minutes.

I know, so old school.  But it really is fun! Plus I don't have a food processor :(

With your fingertips, rub shortening into the flour to make it more crumbly and it helps aerate it.

GET YO' HANDS DIRTY!

Add 2 Tbsp sugar.  Pour in 6 Tbsp of ICE WATER.

Mix lightly with a fork.

Press crumbs into a ball.  Roll it around for a little bit to make the ball nice and smooth.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle flour onto your counter so your dough doesn't stick (use 2/3 of dough for bottom crust).  Rub your rolling pin with flour too.
I like to roll the dough, sprinkle flour on dough, then turn it over and repeat.  
Turn over a couple times so your dough doesn't stick to the counter.


Now roll your dough onto your rolling pin so you can easily transfer it to your pie dish.
This part is quite tricky sometimes.

Trim off any excess dough on the edges with a knife.



FILLING: you will add 6 cups of blackberries, 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 tsp of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 3 Tbsp of Corn Starch.
Mix carefully and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Pour filling into pie dish.

Take your leftover dough and create a top for your pie.  I love to do a lattice top but I was afraid the blueberries would bubble over with all it's juices. So I did a regular top.  But you can do so many cute cut-outs to lay out on top of your pie.

Make sure you cut an "X" or something into the pie to let the steam escape.
Again, you can do any cute designs.

Bake in the oven for 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  THEN turn down your oven to 350 degrees, you're going to grab some foil and cover the top of the pie and cook for an additional 30 minutes!

Voilà!

Your pie is done. You can take a deep breath now!  Pies can be scary but, when all said and done you can be pretty freaken proud of yourself for what you accomplished!

With Love,

Laura