Summer has such an abundance of wonderful produce! What's your favorite summertime fruit or vegetable?
I'm not sure if it's a favorite, but blueberries are near the top of my list, and we are blessed to have family willing to share some of their crop with us. I think we've been given at least a gallon or two of blueberries this year!
I like to try new things each year, and this year I opted to make pie. It was a good decision! I took this to my church small group meeting one day and everyone said they loved it. Drew wanted seconds...as in a second pie.
This particular recipe is incredibly simple but so delicious. It really showcases the fruit. It's perfectly sweetened, and so bubbly coming out of the oven. The deliciousness can't be contained inside a mere crust! It comes from the book, Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. I highly recommend that cookbook for your baking delight!
Double Crusted Blueberry Pie
from Dorie Greenspan
Pie crust to make a double crusted, 9 inch pie
1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 1/2 pints blueberries
1 cup sugar, or a little more, to taste, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
Coarsely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Squirt of lemon juice, or a little more, to taste
1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
Sugar, for dusting
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Put the berries in a large bowl and gently stir in the sugar, flour, salt, zest and juice; let sit for about 5 minutes. Taste the filling and add more sugar and/or lemon juice, if you want.
Sprinkle an even layer of bread crumbs over the bottom crust (this help keep the bottom crust from getting soggy).
Give the filling a last stir and turn it into the crust.
Using your fingertips, moisten the rim of the bottom crust with a little cold water. Center the top crust over the filling and gently press it against the bottom. Seal, trim and either flute or press the edges of the crusts together. Using a small knife, cut 4 slits in the top crust and cut a circle out of the center.
Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat – it will be your drip-catcher. (If you have time, refrigerate the pie for about 30 minutes. The pie can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 2 months. Glaze and sugar it before you put it in the oven and add at least 15 minutes to the baking time.)
Brush the top crust with the egg wash then sprinkle the crust with a little sugar – just to give it sparkle.
Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, and bake the pie for another 30 minutes or so (total baking time is about 1 hour), or until the crust is a beautiful golden brown and the filling is bubbling up through the slits. If the crust seems to be browning too quickly, make a loose foil tent for the pie.
Transfer the pie to a rack and let it cool – and settle – for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Baker's Notes
- I completely forgot the bread crumb step, and my crust was a little "soggy." Not enough to take away from the pie, but learn from my mistakes and don't forget this step.
- SO IMPORTANT to put the pie on a baking sheet- there will be a bubble over!