Mixed Berry Pie

Having read about the Pie Party taking place today, I knew I needed to be part of it.  Pies plus parties equates to a really fun time, even if it is a virtual thing.

See, I’ve been making pie a lot lately. I blame the recent opening of the neighbourhood pie shack for the inspiration, but in truth, I think I was ready to expand my baking repertoire. Believe it or not, this is the first pie recipe to appear on Family Bites, and I’m sure you can all agree it’s about time I showcased one.

I can’t imagine a finer pie to debut here. Flaky crust envelopes a thick layer of the season’s best berries, and holding it all together is a creamy custard-like filling that’s sweet and gooey, yet the perfect compliment to the tart fruit. Rob doesn’t eat dessert, or sweets, but he cleaned up three pieces of this pie over a few late-night snack fests last month, telling me it was worth the effort required to make it.

I see more pie parties in my future, and am already envisioning a neighbourhood one, or perhaps even a pie picnic. Now, wouldn’t that be fun?

 

Mixed Berry Pie

(adapted from here, Martha Stewart and The Homemade Pantry)

• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 4 Tbsp. milk
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 5 cups mixed berries (use whole blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, or sliced strawberries)
• Pie crust - 2 balls or enough for two 9" pies
• 1 egg + 1 Tbsp. cold water whisked together (for egg wash)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a pie plate and dust it with flour; set aside.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt until thick and smooth. Add the berries and stir gently to combine.

Roll out one ball of your pie crust, until it's 12-14" round, or about 1/4" thick. Fit dough into a 9" pie plate and press it down; trim the dough to 1/2" overhang all around.

Roll out the remaining dough in same manner. Chill both the dough and the pie shell for 30 minutes.

Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell. Cut the second piece of dough into 1/2" wide strips. Lay the strips 1" apart across the pie. Fold back every other strip and lay another strip at the folds, perpendicular to the first pieces of dough.

Return the pieces of dough so they overlap the new strip. Fold back the other strips, stopping about 1" from the first perpendicular strip. Lay another piece of dough at the fold. Continue with the remaining pieces until a lattice top has been formed.

Trim all the crust so it's flush with the pie plate, and crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the egg wash over the entire pie, and place it on a baking sheet.

Bake for 60 minutes (you may need to cover the top of the pie with foil after 45 minutes to prevent the top from browning too much).

Notes:

• I am in love with the pie crust recipe found in The Homemade Pantry. It's quickly become my new favourite cookbook, and I've made the pastry several times just to see if it really is as good as I think it might be. Seven batches of dough later tells me that it is. 

• However, feel free to use a store-bought crust if desired.  You will need two shells for this recipe.

• The berries can be replaced with apples in the fall, and rhubarb in the spring. 

 

Comments

[Aimee @ Simple Bites]

Looks splendid, Jan!! Nothing beats a true summer berry pie.

[Paula]

This is beautiful. How wonderful to have all the different berries together in one pie. Your crust is gorgeous.