Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Blueberries my favorite fruit! If I can stop eating all the fresh blueberries long enough I love to make blueberry pies. There are so many wonderful blueberry pie recipes that I love but this one is perfect for the 4th of July!  Perfect for a backyard barbecue or to take along to a family reunion, just so wonderfully delicious! If you are short for time or just don’t want to make your own crust, use store-bought refrigerated pie crust which you can find in the dairy section of your grocery store. I have used Pillsbury when I am short on time which is very good.

Fabulous All American Blueberry Pie

Crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup sweet butter (love my Cabot!)

7 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

6 cups blueberries, rinsed and picked over

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 sugar

4 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon sweet butter, cut into small pieces

Glaze:

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon whipping cream

Crust:

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, and salt. With a pastry blender cut in shortening and butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Sprinkle water over the top and work mixture together with pastry blender or fingers until it comes together to form a ball. Shape dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Filling: Place rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 F.  (I like to put a piece of aluminum foil down or a baking pan on the bottom of the oven to catch any drips and keep my oven clean.) Place blueberries in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl combine the remaining ingredients except for the butter.  Add dry ingredients to blueberries and gently toss.

Divide pastry in half.  On a floured surface roll one of the pastry halves into a 12 inch round.  Fit into 10-inch pie plate, letting the pastry hang over the edge.  Fill with blueberry mixture. Dot with butter. On a floured surface roll out remaining dough to 12 inch round. Place over pie. Seal edges and crimp to form a decorative rim.

Glaze: In a small bowl whisk egg yolk and cream. Brush top of the pie with glaze. Cut vents into the pie top. You can use mini cookie cutters for a more decorative top.

Bake pie for 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 F. Bake pie for 35 or 40 minutes longer or until nicely glazed.  Cool on rack.

Enjoy!