BLUEBERRY PIE & RHUBARB PIE

August is the best time to visit our Michigan cottage on the shores of Lake Huron. We will load up the kids and head out to the blueberry farm down the road. A large flat of berries sits on the counter. Little fingers reach over the countertop and snatch dark blue sweetness all day long while Gummy ties on her apron and sets out to make blueberry pie.

BLUEBERRY PIE

Pie dough for top and bottom 9-inch pie, chilled 

 

2/3 cup to 3/4 cup granulated sugar, adjusted according to sweetness of berries

1/4 cup cornstarch 

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

6 cups fresh blueberries (about 2 pounds)

1 tablespoon butter, cut into small squares

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 tablespoon coarse sugar, for garnish

 

Roll Out Crust and Prepare Filling

Roll out half of the pie dough to fit an 8- or 9-inch (20 to 23 cm) pie dish. To prevent the dough from sticking and to ensure uniform thickness, roll from the center of the dough outwards and keep lifting up and turning the dough a quarter turn as you roll. Check for the correct size by inverting the pie dish over the dough. The dough should be about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the dish.

Being careful not to stretch the dough, fit into pie dish then trim dough to within 3/4-inch (2 cm) of the edge of the dish. Refrigerate while you make the pie filling.

Stir sugar, cornstarch, lemon peel, allspice, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add blueberries and gently toss to combine. Transfer blueberry filling to prepared pie crust. Dot with butter and top with crust. Vent crust to let steam escape usiong scissors or a knife.

 

Set oven to 400 degrees F  Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven then place a baking sheet on rack. (The baking sheet will catch any drips from the pie while baking).

Bake chilled pie on hot baking sheet for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees F then continue to bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and juices in the filling are bubbling eagerly. (If, while baking, the crust begins to brown too much, cover with aluminum foil and continue to bake until done).

Cool 2 to 3 hours before cutting to allow filling to set.

 

I like to grow my rhubarb, and I'm a purist. Don't go mixing rhubarb with berries. The sweet tartness and unique flavor is my favorite all by itself. Besides, it's an homage to my mother.

RHUBARB PIE 

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 1/3 cups white sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pieDirections

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine sugar and flour. Sprinkle 1/4 of it over pastry in pie plate. 

Heap rhubarb over this mixture. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and flour. 

Dot with small pieces of butter. Cover with top crust.

Place pie on lowest rack in oven. Bake for 15 minutes. 

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes.

Serve warm or cold.

Buckets of blueberries. Tawas, MI

The before and after of fruit pie season.