Backyard Blackberry Pie

Back Yard Blackberry Pie

What do you do when you’re up to your ears after a military move this week? Why, bake a pie, of course! After all, it is Friday and the eve of our nation's independence. (Like I need some excuse to make a pie!) So, here's the part where the kids try to help but eat all the blackberries, and we realize 4 cups is a LOT of blackberries. But we kept our eyes on the prize. 

Here's the part you use the previous homeowners' last two pie crusts in the fridge, just because you can. Add the flour, sugar, and lemon juice to the blueberries and mix. Here's the part where you remember you saw a bug in the blackberries when you were picking them, and you really hope they were washed out. Then you go dry your hair because the pie crusts are too cold to roll out...

Back!! Next comes the part where you lay your first pie crust in the dish, then have a little person help you scoop out the blackberry mixture into the dish, preferably who has grimy fingers from picking blackberries and playing outside all morning. Cube the cold butter and dollop on top. 

Are you still with me? You're almost done, and remember, eyes on the prize. Have the same grimy-fingered little person carefully brush the extra edge of pie crust with a little water. Next, break out the never-before-used decorative pie crust cutters you were supposed to use at Thanksgiving but either couldn't find at the time and/or you were too busy running around like a turkey with its head cut off to worry about adding little leaves and pumpkins to your pie. Yep, now is the perfect time to use that. Add four slits in the pie and bake on a rimmed baking sheet, pretending to wait patiently until you hear the timer ding. 

I can almost taste it! Let the pie cool for 4 hours (yeah, that's not happening), and enjoy with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream! 

Backyard Blackberry Pie

Ingredients

2 prepared pie crusts

1 ½ pounds blackberries (around 4 cups)

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.  In a bowl, stir the blackberries with the sugar, flour and lemon juice, lightly mashing a few berries; scrape into the prepared pie crust and sprinkle the butter cubes on top.

2. Brush the overhanging pastry with water and carefully set the top crust over the berry filling. Press the edges of the dough together and trim the overhang to 1 inch. Fold the edge under itself and crimp decoratively. Cut 4 slits in the top crust. 

3. Bake the pie in the center of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the bottom crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Sprinkle with sugar the last 10 minutes of baking and, if necessary, cover the edge with foil for the last few minutes of baking. Let the pie cool for at least 4 hours before serving.

Adapted from Marilyn Batali’s Blackberry Pie