Rustic Blackberry Pie

My friend Jimmy has begged me to make him a blackberry pie for years.  Instead of giving into his wishes, he has received recipe variations that contained blackberries, but never a full pie.  My most classic example was when he begged and begged for a blackberry pie, and I decided Goat Cheese, Blackberry and Pear Bites would be more fun.  Remember, it’s not about what he wants.  It’s about what I want to make.  Hehe

One evening, I found blackberries on sale at my local market.  I finally decided to take the plunge and bake a pie of epic proportions.  Sadly, the recipe called for 2 cups of sugar.  I remember thinking to myself, as the white grains poured over the dark lumps, that I was making a huge mistake.  But I pushed forward against my better judgment and followed the recipe to the letter.  The final result was so incredibly sweet it was practically inedible.  In fact, the experience was so painful; I haven’t made another pie since that horrific day.

Jimmy celebrated his second 29^th birthday last week, and I decided it was a perfect time to bring my pie making dry spell to an end.  What made this pie the perfect balance of sweet and tart was the sprinkling of unsweetened berries on top before the sealing the crust.  It added a greater depth of flavor I haven’t experienced with berry pies in the past.  I expect to be making it again in the very near future.

Rustic Blackberry Pie
4 cups fresh blackberries
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 sheets of prepared pie dough
1 egg
1 Tbl. water
2 Tbl. sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly beat the water and egg in a small bowl.  Set aside. Gently place one sheet of prepared pie dough in a deep dish pie pan.  Brush the bottom of the pie dough with the egg wash mixture.  This will help prevent the crust from getting soggy.

Toss 3 cups of blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and flour in a medium mixing bowl.  Pour into the pie pan.  Sprinkle the remaining cup of blackberries on top.  To make the pie rustic, brush the outer edge of the pie pan with the egg wash mixture.  Drape the second sheet of pie dough on top and press against the outer edge.  Otherwise, trim the dough and seal with a fork.

Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash mixture and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Slice five small slits near the center of the pie to allow the steam to escape.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 20 – 25 minutes.  Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Authors Note:  It will seem like there is too much flour when you are tossing the berries.  However, the amount is necessary to properly bind the filling.

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