By Chef David “Smitty”
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“I use all butter for the crust and it comes out flaky.”
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Were you ever in a store shopping and kind of jonesing for something in particular? Of course you have. I think we all go through that from time to time, sometimes quite often.
Well, I was in Reno, shopping at one of the larger food stores I hardly ever go to, and it hit me like an eraser thrown at me from a teacher when I was caught not paying attention. I’m walking through the elaborate deli-buffet-bakery section and I needed some kind of sweet dessert. I saw this blueberry pie that really was looking good, but somehow managed to keep walking. I went as fast as my two little feet would carry me out of that area and over to the produce section on the opposite end of the store.
I picked up a few ears of corn, a couple heirloom tomatoes and a few pieces of fruit and headed for the nearest register when all of a sudden I was somehow teleported back to the other end of the store and I’m standing there at the register with my basket of produce in one hand and a pie in the other. I kept looking around to see who snuck that pie into my hand. Well, it was too far to bring it all the way back, so I broke down and bought it.
So here’s the thing. When I tried it after dinner, it really wasn’t that great. I gave a piece to Wink without telling him my thoughts and asked how he liked it. The answer was the same. The filling was too thick with more lemon flavor than blueberry and the crust was bland and dense instead of flaky.
I know I’ve written this recipe before, but it has been a while and it is easy to make. I use all butter for the crust and it comes out flaky. For the filling, like a lot of things, add the lemon juice a little at a time to taste. Also, many recipes use cinnamon. I like to use a little fresh-grated nutmeg instead. Check it out and let me know what you think. Enjoy.
Blueberry Pie
Filling
6 C blueberries
1 C sugar
¼ C cornstarch
2 T lemon juice
½ t salt
½ t nutmeg
1 T butter
Sift dry ingredients together and toss with the blueberries. Add the lemon juice to taste and mix well. Place the filling in the center of the bottom crust and dot with the butter.
Pie Crust
1 lb. flour
3 sticks, chilled butter
1½ t salt
¾ C ice water
2 T milk
Cut the chilled butter into small pieces and, using a fork, cut it into the flour and salt until it appears like a course meal. Do not overwork. Use a paddle if using a machine to this and switch to a hook when adding the water.
Add the water a little at a time and add only enough to allow the dough to hold together in a ball. Again, be gentle when adding the water and do not overwork. Form a large ball with the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Form two-thirds of the ball into a round disk, and on a floured surface, roll out to about 1/8-inch thick so it will cover the bottom and sides of the pie tin with a slight overhang. Mix the ingredients together for the filling and place in the middle of the shell and dot with the butter.
Roll the last third of the dough out slightly larger than the top of the pie and cover the pie with it. Roll the top and bottom overhanging dough under and pinch to seal. Brush with the milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Cut four or five steam holes in the top and bake at 425 for 20 minutes.
Check after 10 for color and if getting to brown, cover with foil. After 20 minutes, turn down the heat to 375 and cook for another 35 to 40 minutes. The filling should be bubbling. Let cool for at least 1 hour to allow the filling to set.
Smitty is a personal chef specializing in dinner parties, cooking classes and special events. Trained under Master Chef Anton Flory at Top Notch Resort in Stowe, Vt., Smitty is known for his creative use of fresh ingredients. To read archived copies of Stir it Up, visit chefsmitty.com or TheTahoeWeekly.com. Contact him at smitty@chefsmitty.com or (530) 412-3598.
