Blueberry Pie

Fall is late this year. Normally by now the weather has cooled off and I am cooking up a storm. This year the temperatures have stayed in the 80’s and even slipped into the 90’s a few times in September and October. The weather reports keep promising cooler temperatures and much needed rain but Mother Nature has other plans. My annual apple pie has been delayed.

Fortunately, we had a brief cool spell in July so I was able to bake my annual blueberry pie. As I noted on my pumpkin pie recipe, it’s one three pies that I make each year. All of them are straight out of my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook except for the crusts to which I have added extra shortening on the advice of an elderly aunt who made the best pie crusts I have ever tasted.

One important note on this one. The lemon juice is there for a reason. I made the mistake of making this pie once without it. It turned out cloyingly sweet. The lemon juice gives the blueberries a little tang.

Verdict: Yum! This one’s a keeper!

Blueberry Pie
(Source: Betty Crocker Cookbook)

OldRoses’ Pie Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup shortening
5 tablespoons cold water

Filling
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 425°.

Stir together sugar, flour; mix with blueberries. Add lemon juice. Set aside.

Measure flour and salt into bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly. Sprinkle in water and mix until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if needed).

Gather dough into ball; shape into flattened round on lightly floured pastry cloth. (For two-crust pie, divide dough in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds). With floured rolling pin, roll dough 2 inches larger than inverted pie pan. Fold pastry into quarters; unfold and ease into pan.

Turn desired filling into pastry-lined pie pan. Trim overhanging edge of pastry ½ inch from rim of pan. Turn blueberry mixture into pastry-lined pie pan. Cover with top crust; seal and flute. Make slits in top crust to let steam escape. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.

Makes one 9” pie.

Recycle: lemon juice bottle

Compost: spoiled and bruised berries, berry stems