Fresh Strawberry and Blueberry Pie

 

Berry pie-making is a cinch, and I don't know why I don't do it more often.  Your family will forgive you for heating up the kitchen with your oven while it's a 104 degrees outside when they smell this pie.

This would be perfect for the upcoming holiday weekend.  

Here's a few tips:

-I used this pie crust recipe because I like the vinegar in it.  A few weeks ago, I made a double batch which yielded six crusts, and since I already had flour everywhere, I turned right around and made another double batch.  I patted them all into balls, then wrapped each one separately in wax paper and put them into two freezer bags and into the freezer.  When I want to make a pie, I take a dough ball out, let it thaw in the fridge, then proceed as I normally would with any given recipe.

-I did not use a whole dough ball for the cutouts.  The remainder was left in the freezer for the next time I need a design for the top of something.  Or for when I want a nice bite of raw pie dough.  

Just kidding.  I don't eat raw pie dough.  Anymore.

 























-I usually use an egg and water egg wash, but here is a great article about different types of egg washes, such as water and egg, cream and egg, egg and salt, etc.  There are pictures that show the results from each one.  Very informative.

-I love the orange zest in this pie, and I prefer it to lemon zest.  I really think it makes this pie pop.

-Let it cool before cutting.  You'll probably want to cut it while it's hot and put ice cream on top, and there is nothing wrong with that, but if you want it to cut cleanly, then it needs to cool.  I let my pie cool completely and had perfect slices, but I forgot to photograph. 

Fresh Strawberry and Blueberry Pie

Printable Recipe

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

The zest of one medium orange

2 tablespoons butter

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1 unbaked pie crust plus enough pie crust scraps to make
decorative cutouts for top

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Stir together the blueberries, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and orange  zest in a large bowl.  Pour into an  unbaked 9-inch pie crust.  Cut butter into small pieces and dot the top of the fruit.
 

Roll out the remaining pie crust scraps and cut shapes using cookie cutters dipped in flour.  (I used different sized star shaped cutters.)  Place the shapes on top of the pie in a decorative pattern.

Beat together the egg and water.  Lightly brush the mixture onto the pie crust shapes and around the perimeter of the crust.  Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 50-55 minutes or until  bubbly and golden brown.  Let cool on wire rack completely before cutting.