The Hirshon Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie Image Used Under Creative Commons License From pies.wikia.com

Blueberry pie – not only is it insanely delicious and a classic recipe fit for the most gilded culinary palate – it’s also made from one of the most healthful items on the planet.

Yes, blueberries are the supreme super-fruit, rich in vitamins and anti-oxidants – please do note that my recipe calls for wild blueberries, not domesticated. They have a superior taste and texture, though smaller than the typical supermarket blueberry. They are available frozen in many supermarkets – try them, the taste difference is truly substantial. FYI – blueberry pie made with wild Maine blueberries is the official state dessert of the proud U.S. state of Maine.

Indulge yourself, citizens – you’ll thank me for it. 😀

My recipe is superior for several reasons – it calls for wild blueberries, it incorporates several citrus zests in the crust for additional taste, and uses both spices and lime juice in the filling to complement the berries.

Enjoy – and prepare for the accolades from your satisfied (and lucky) friends and family! Serve with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream for the ultimate experience and know the true taste of Summer, but enjoyed anytime!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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Crust (make 2 batches if you want a lattice crust):

1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons grated lemon rind
1½ teaspoons grated tangerine or orange rind
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Crisco
¼ cup butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water

Blueberry Filling:

5 cups (about 2½ pints) defrosted or fresh wild blueberries (not domesticated – WILD), picked over and stems discarded, rinsed
¾ cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar
Pinch salt
¼ cup potato starch or potato flour
½ cup water
1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon mace
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 Tb. butter, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg yolk

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Purée 1 cup of the blueberries in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; set aside.

Whisking constantly, bring the sugar, salt, starch and water to a very thick paste over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. As mixture thickens and starts to stick to pan bottom, whisk in blueberry purée and bring to a simmer. Pour thickener over remaining blueberries and stir to combine.

Make crust:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. In large bowl, sift flour, sugar, and salt.
3. Stir in grated rinds.
4. Cut in shortening and butter with pastry blender until mixture is size of small peas.
5. Sprinkle with ice water, one tablespoon at a time. Mix lightly until dough holds together.
6. Knead and shape into a ball. Wrap and chill while preparing filling and topping.
7. If you want a lattice crust on top of the pie, make another batch of dough as above.

Make filling and assemble pie:

Roll out pastry and fit into 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine 1 cup of the blueberries, the cornstarch and water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until mixture thickens and is clear. Stir in butter; cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining blueberries and the lime juice and spices; cool. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour cooled filling into one pie shell. If using a lattice crust, lay the remaining rolled out dough on wax paper; cut seven ¾-inch wide strips; arrange in a criss-cross pattern on top of blueberries, pressing ends into the edges of the bottom crust.

Combine egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch. Brush top crust with egg mixture. Place pie on a cookie sheet. Bake in the bottom third of the oven until crust is golden and filling gently bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack; serve warm.