Blackberry picking and a pie...

Blackberries grow everywhere here in the Pacific Northwest. Literally!  And like all best things in life should be, they are free. I never thought of picking them myself until one day the gatherer in me kicked in and we rushed to the nearest park armed with buckets and containers. We should have given it a little more thought because apparently the berries don't want to be picked. The bushes are full of thorns and even the leaves are capable of taking care of themselves. Not so free after all... Still, we managed to pick a small box. Fruit picked with such danger to life and limb deserves a grand dish and what better than a pie.

This pie has a wonderfully buttery crust and a lattice top that is way easier to make than it looks. The filling is just made of wild blackberries, though other soft fruits should work as well. Most pie fillings suggested a bit of lemon zest, but as the berries were already very tart, I skipped it. This recipe is from the joyof baking, my go to site for all baking needs. I made a few changes to the filling and made the crust by hand and reduced the chilling time. Waiting for pie is hard...

Wild Blackberry Pie
Adapted barely from the Joy of Baking

Pie crusts can be slightly overwhelming, the key is to remember, that even though it tears, it will still taste all right. The original recipe used a food processor, but I just used a pastry blender. I have used forks, knifes and fingers in the past and they have worked well. Just keep everything super chilled and it will be fine. The sugar will vary according to the sweetness of the fruit. I like it towards the tart side. Cool the pie before slicing it so the fruit firms up or you will end up with a delicious puddle.

Pie Crust:

2 1/2 cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon (30 grams) granulated white sugar

1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces

1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 - 120 ml) ice water:( I ended up using about 3/4 cup)

Blackberry Filling:

4-5 cups of blackberries or a combination of berries 

2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar 3 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest (outer yellow skin of the lemon)
1 tablespoon (14 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

Make the Crust
1. Whisk together the flour , salt and sugar. Add the butter and work it into the flour. Use a pastry blender or just your finger tips. The end product should resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Add 1/4 cup of the ice cold water and try to form into a ball. Add more water if required.

2. Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.( I was in a hurry and only refrigerated for 20 minutes)

3. After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).)  Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim any overhanging pastry to an edge of 1/2 inch (1.5 cm). Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, while you make the filling.

4. *Remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a 13 inch (30 cm) circle. Using a pastry wheel. sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 1 inch (2.5 cm) strips. Place the strips of pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Put a baking sheet on the oven rack. (The pie plate will be placed on the hot baking sheet to catch any spills.)

Pie Filling

1. In a small bowl mix together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest. Place the berries in a large bowl.  Add the sugar mixture to the berries and gently toss to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and dot with the 1 tablespoon of butter.

Assemble the Pie
1. Remove the lattice pastry from the refrigerator and, starting at the centre with the longest strips and working outwards, space the strips about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Use the shortest pastry strips at the outer edges. Then, rotate pie plate a quarter turn, and repeat the process with the rest of the strips. Weave the top strips over and under the bottom strips. Trim the edges of the strips, leaving a 1 inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Seal the edges of the pastry strips by folding them under the bottom pastry crust and flute the edges of the pastry. Brush the lattice pastry with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar.

2. Bake the pie for about 20 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Continue to bake the pie for about 35 - 45 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown color and the juices are bubbling and thick. If the edges of the pie are browning too much during baking, cover with a foil ring or aluminum foil.

3. Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool for several hours.  Serve at room temperature with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Store any leftovers for 2 - 3 days at room temperature.

Note: * You can do a simple lid instead of the lattice. Just remember to make slits on the top for the steam and juices to escape.