Quest for Pie

I never knew how to make pie. It looked easy enough but the thought of making pie-crust sent me screaming for the door. Then I met Dale. He inspired my inner-Julia Child and taught me how to bake almost anything my heart desired. So last year, we made my first pie, a blueberry-lemon pie courtesy of the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, and it was fabulous. From there on, I got creative and tested other pie recipes. From apples to raspberries I have tried almost every fruit in pie form and they have all turned out delicious. However, when asked what my favorite pie is, I stumble over myself because until this weekend I never had a favorite pie. I liked them all!

The funny thing about our cooking adventures is that Dale and I have never had a fully functioning oven. We always had to get creative and adjust our cooking techniques to suit our oven. In our last apartment we preheated the oven and cooked everything about 25 degrees higher than the recipes called for. In our new house, the lower heating element was broken so we put cast-iron pans on the bottom shelf and let the oven preheat for an hour before attempting any baking. While both methods worked somewhat well, we were always left foiling the top to prevent burning and still sifting through a somewhat soggy, underbaked crust.

Our oven got fixed. The repair man replaced the element and now our oven preheats in minutes to the correct temperatures. I spent all week adjusting my favorite recipes to a now working oven as I nearly burned everything I put inside it. With a newly working stove, I gave a whirl at making another blueberry-pie and discovered that the quest is over: blueberry pie is my favorite. The berries were plump and popped sweetness in your mouth, the crust perfectly cooked, flaky, and buttery, and the hints of cinnamon pared with ice cream made for the perfect pie adventure.

I am headed to Glacier for a few days to relax with some girlfriends and while campfire cooking is not suited to baking pies, I will be dreaming about the blueberry pie and perhaps you can too.

Blueberry Pie

For the Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, cut into cubes
7-9 tbls of water

For the Filling:
4-5 cups of frozen or fresh blueberries (I use frozen and I always use less berries than recommended because I hate overfilling)
1 cup sugar
4 tbls flour
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (depending on oven!)

Mix the berries with sugar, flour, and cinnamon and let sit for 30 minutes while you make the pie crust.

***I never use a pastry blender for making pie crust, if you prefer that method please read the instructions below. My method which has served me well over the years is to throw flour and salt into my kitchenaid, turn it on medium speed and slowly add cubed butter until the the flour is pea-sized. With the kitchenaid still running, I add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the flour is moist and starts to form a ball. I turn the kitchenaid off, roll it around on the cutting board a few times and divide it into two balls. I put the balls in the freezer for 10 minutes and then roll out each ball to my desired thickness and size, use the rolling pin to transfer the dough on to the pie plate, toss the filling in, and then place the second rolled-ball of dough on top of the pie. If you want to get fancy, you can cut dough in strips and do a lattice work crust.

Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and completely cooked through. Cool on wire rack until cool. Serve with lots of ice cream!

**In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2/3 cup shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time until all the dough is moistened (using 7 to 9 tablespoons water total). Divide in half. Form each half into a ball. Roll out the crust, place in pie pan, pour in filling and place the second crust on top.

Check this link for more specific tips and instructions: http://www.bhg.com/recipes/desserts/pies/how-to-make-piecrusts/