Liz Schillingers Shenandoah Berry Pie Food

FRESH BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Mix the blueberries, the 1/2 cup of sugar, the flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cassis in a large bowl. Carefully ease one pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate, making sure not to stretch the dough at all, or it will shrink as the pie bakes. With a sharp knife, cut the excess dough off at the edge of the pie plate. Spoon the blueberry mixture into the pie shell, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure you have all the juices.
• Brush the edge of the crust with the egg wash. Carefully lay the second crust on top, again easing -- not stretching -- it onto the pie. Cut the excess dough off at the edge of the pie plate. Press the two edges together with a dinner fork. Brush the top crust with the eggs wash, cut three slits for steam to escape, and sprinkle with sugar.
• Place the pie on the prepared sheet pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the filling is very bubbly and the crust is nicely browned. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cut the butter in 1/2-inch dice and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out onto a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle at least 1 inch larger than the pie pan, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough so it doesnt stick to the board. (You should see bits of butter in the dough.) Fold the dough in half, ease it into the pie pan without stretching at all, and unfold to fit the pan. With a small sharp paring knife, cut the dough 1 inch larger around than the pan. Fold the edge under and crimp the edge with either your fingers or the tines of a fork.
• "Barefoot Contessa Foolproof" by Ina Garten (c) Clarkson Potter 2012. Provided courtesy of Ina Garten. All rights reserved.

LIZ SCHILLINGER'S SHENANDOAH BERRY PIE

Steps:

• Place a marble pastry slab and marble rolling pin in the freezer until very cold, at least 4 hours.
• To make the pie dough, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Place the lard in a glass measuring cup and microwave on high until almost but not completely melted, about 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted. Pour into 1-cup measuring cup and then remove 2 tablespoons of the lard. Add 2 tablespoons of water and mix; you should have exactly 1 cup liquid. Stir liquid into flour with a wooden spoon for a few seconds until the dough holds together.
• Remove the slab and pin from freezer. Flour the slab lightly. Place a cloth cover on the marble rolling pin and flour lightly. Working quickly, roll the dough out to a thickness of between 1/8 and 1 1/816 inch. If the dough is sticky and doesn't roll smoothly, it may be too warm; pop the whole thing (slab and dough) back in the freezer for a few minutes to chill it before working it again. If the dough is too stiff and begins to crack and shatter, it is too cold; walk away for a few minutes and then try working it again. Use your fingers to press together any cracks or fix any holes in the dough.
• Invert a 9-inch pie plate onto one side of the dough. Using a paring knife, cut a circle around it, making the circle 1/2 inch larger in diameter than the plate. Using 2 spatulas, loosen the dough from the slab; it should be very stiff and come up easily in one piece. (If it sags or sticks, pop the whole thing back in the freezer for a few minutes.) Lift the dough with the spatulas and center it over the pie plate. Let it sit on the plate until it warms up and sags into the plate. (Don't worry if it has some cracks.) Press the edges in gently with your fingers and fix any tears by pressing the dough together. Crimp the edges.
• Cut small basset-hound shapes, or any decorations you like, from the remaining dough. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To make the filling, in a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, zest and salt. Add the fruit and toss to combine. Add the lemon juice and butter and toss again. Scrape into the prepared crust and lay your decorations over the top. Bake until the crust is browned and the fruit is bubbling, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool.

NO-BAKE BLUEBERRY LEMON PIE

Steps:

• For the blueberry puree: Set up a grill for cooking with direct and indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• To a saucepot, add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Place on the direct heat side of the grill and bring to a boil, then move to the indirect heat side and simmer until the blueberries begin to burst and thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and chill until completely cold.
• Make the crust: In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter and salt and mix to combine. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan and press into the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Use the bottom of a 1-cup measuring cup to help smooth the bottom.
• Make the filling: In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until it holds medium stiff peaks. Scoop into another bowl and set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and gelatin. Allow to stand for 3 to 5 minutes to bloom. To the mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest and juice and beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk mixture and half the whipped cream, and mix until smooth. Fold in the remaining whipped cream by hand, then pour the filling into the prepared pie shell. Smooth the surface, then spoon the chilled blueberry puree in thin lines across the surface. Use a toothpick or a wooden skewer to drag the blueberry puree in the opposite direction of the lines, creating a swirled pattern randomly on the surface. Chill for 3 hours or up to overnight. Remove the sides of the pan, then slice into 8 or 10 pieces and serve.

BERRY HAND PIES

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: On a floured surface, roll out each disk of dough into a 10-inch square, each about 1/8-inch thick. Using a 5-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 4 disks from each piece of dough. Transfer disks to a baking sheet (it's OK if they overlap slightly), cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 10 minutes.
• Prepare the berry filling: In a medium bowl, combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice, and sea salt. Stir gently until evenly coated, then set aside.
• Remove the disks from the refrigerator and lightly brush the edges of each disk with the egg wash. Spoon about 1/4 cup berry filling onto each disk, leaving a 1-inch border around the rim. (You might have some extra filling.)
• Working with one disk at a time, leaving one half of the dough on the baking sheet, gently fold the other half of each round of dough over the filling to make a half circle and press the edges together with your fingers to seal. If any of the filling is oozing out of the sides, remove a few berries at a time until the hand pie seals easily. Using a fork, crimp the rounded edge of each hand pie. Repeat with remaining disks.
• Cover the hand pies with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to set the crusts. Refrigerate the remaining egg wash.
• When you are ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove the hand pies from the refrigerator and brush the tops with the remaining egg wash. Using a paring knife, cut 3 small slits in the top of each hand pie to create steam vents. Transfer the hand pies to the lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the hand pies are golden and the filling is bubbly. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve warm.
• The hand pies can be cooled completely and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl or food processor. Add the butter, and either use your fingers to rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal or pulse the processor a few times to achieve a similar result. Gradually and lightly mix in ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough just comes together.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather into a ball. Divide the ball into two equal portions, and flatten each into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Prebake the pie shell. Heat oven to 375. Roll out one of the disks of dough on a lightly floured surface, and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the dough so that there is a slight overhang at the top of the pie plate, then place the shell in the freezer for 20 minutes or so to chill. Remove the pie shell from the freezer, cover the dough with parchment paper and fill the shell with pie weights or dried beans. Place the shell into the oven, and bake until the bottom has just started to brown, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Take the pie shell out of the oven, remove the parchment and pie weights and allow to cool.
• Make the filling. Separate 1 cup or 150 grams of the blueberries, and combine them in the bowl of a food processor or blender with the sugar, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons or 16 grams of the arrowroot flour or cornstarch and the salt, then pulse to purée. Put the blueberry mixture into a small pot set over medium-high heat, and cook, whisking constantly, until the liquid has just thickened, approximately 1 minute. Pour the thickened mixture over the remaining blueberries, and stir to combine.
• Bake the pie. Heat oven to 400. Mound the filling high in the center of the cooled pie shell, and apply the egg wash to the top edge of the cooked bottom crust. Roll out the second disk of dough, and place it over the top, gently crimping it onto the egg-washed edge of the bottom crust. Place the pie into the freezer to set, approximately 20 minutes, then cut vents into the top with a sharp knife, place the pie on a baking sheet and set it into the oven to bake for approximately 30 minutes. Then turn the pie, reduce heat to 350 and bake until the pie is golden and the filling has begun to bubble up through the vents, another 25 to 45 minutes. Allow pie to cool to room temperature before you cut into it.