Mixed Berry Pie

I make pies mostly in the summer when fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, and peaches are the freshest and the cheapest. Apple pies are great during winter, however frozen fruits can be used any time of year (especially in the winter). I made this berry pie with frozen strawberries and blueberries and it turned out very yummy.

Mixed Berry Pie

For the pie filling:
2 cups blueberries
2 cups strawberries (whole or cut in half)
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the double 9 inch pie crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup (a stick and a half) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup of all-vegetable shortening (8 Tbsp)
6-8 Tablespoons ice water

Combine the berries with the sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice. Set aside.

Directions for the pie crust:

Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture. Toss to coat the butter with a little of the flour. Cut butter into the flour mixture with a pastry knife until the butter forms small pieces. Add the shortening (a tablespoonful at a time), and cut into mixture with the pastry knife.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture at a time. After each addition, use a spoon and lightly toss the flour mixture until the water is incorporated. After 6 tablespoons, use your hands to gently press the crumbly dough together. If the dough does not come together easily, add more water (up to 2 tablespoons more). Make sure to not over-knead the dough! Divide the dough evenly into 2 balls and flatten each into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the dough to rest and for the chunks of butter and shortening to harden again.

After the dough has chilled, sprinkle a little flour on a flat work surface (a silicone baking sheet works well) and begin to roll-out one of the balls of dough, starting from the center and working your way out with the rolling pin (it may help to flatten the dough with your hands first). You have a big enough piece of dough when you place the pie tin or pie dish upside down on the dough and the dough extends by at least 2 inches all around.

Gently fold the dough in half and then in half again. Lift it up and place the folded point of the dough in the exact center of your pie dish. Gently unfold. Lift the edge of the dough with one hand while easing the pastry along the bottom of the dish with the other hand. Do not stretch the dough.

Add the berry mixture to the pie dish that has the crust on the bottom. Spread the berries out evenly.

Roll out the second disk of dough. Place it on-top of the berry filling and cut the dough with a knife so that it overhangs about 2 inches. Then take the top dough that is overhanging and fold it under so that is presses together with the bottom crust. Seal the crusts together at the edges. You can use the handle end of a common dinner knife to press the dough on the rim to make a pretty crust.

Another way to make the top pie crust is by using the weaving technique, which is more difficult to make than the pie crust described above. After the second ball of dough is rolled out, cut it into long strips of about 1 inch in diameter. Lay about 5 strips over the pie in the same direction as one another. Then take one strip and lay it over the 5 strips, but in the other direction. Weave the strip over and under the other ones to form a lattice top. Continue with the rest of the strips. Make sure to press the ends of the strips firmly to the bottom crust. It should look like this --->

Crack an egg and beat only the egg white as an egg wash for the top crust. Use a pastry brush to lightly paint the top of the pie with the wash. Last, use a knife to cut vents or slits into the top of the pie crust.

Bake the pie at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes. If you see that the top crust is beginning to burn, you can lightly cover the entire pie or just the edges with tin foil.