Celebrate your 4th with an All-American Blueberry Pie

If strawberries are a bite of Spring, than for me the blueberry is the fruit that signifies summer. Juicy and sweet, with just a hint of tartness, makes the blueberry perfect in all kinds of baked goods. I mentioned in an earlier post that I manager a local farmers market. Blueberries are at their peak right now at our market, just in time for the 4th of July.  Although other countries are beginning to grow them, blueberries are indigenous to, and primarily grown in, North America. Perhaps instead of the apple pie, blueberry pie should be considered the all-American pie! Head down to your local farmers market this week, pick up some fresh blueberries and celebrate all things American with a slice of blueberry pie.

I don't add a lot of extras to my blueberry pie. My pie has only a couple of ingredients. I think in the case of blueberry pie less really is more. Lemon is the perfect companion to the blueberry. It adds just a bit of tartness that really brightens up the blueberries and cuts the sweetness just a bit.

Fresh Blueberry Pie
(Printable Recipe)

For Crust
One unbaked pie crust in 9" pie pan
One disk pie dough, for top of pie, (your favorite recipe.)
I used Dori Greenspan's recipe Good for All-Most Everything Pie Dough for my crust. If you don't want to make your own pie crust you can use prepared pie dough found in the refrigerator section of you local grocery store. It won't be as amazing as a homemade dough but you'll still get a great pie!

Filling:

4 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup  granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Egg Wash:

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon cream
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and cream. 

Make the Blueberry Filling:  In a small bowl mix together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest.  Place the blueberries in a large bowl.  Add the sugar mixture to the blueberries and gently toss to combine.  Pour the mixture into prepared pie shell. I used cut out stars to top my pie with but you can do a lattice pattern if you prefer. Place the cut out pastry stars in a circular pattern on top of the blueberries, making sure to cover most of the top of the pie. Once the top of the pie is covered with the pastry stars, brush the entire surface with the egg wash. Place the assembled pie back in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.   

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the chilled pie on a larger baking pan, lined with parchment paper or foil, to catch any spills.  Bake the pie for about 20 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.  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. 

Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool for several hours. If you cut your pie before it cools completely it will not set-up and will be very soupy. Serve at room temperature with softly whipped cream or ice cream.