"I think it looks a little sad because I used my glass pie plate which is a deeper than I remembered so it doesn't have that nice plumped up effect. It's based on a family recipe that both my mother and my grandmother made, which we all tend to play fast and loose with. This pie combines half cooked fruit with half fresh fruit, so you can sugar and spice up the cooked part but still get the freshness of the raw fruit. "
(Thanks, Abby!)
Abby's Blueberry Pie
makes one 10" pie
4 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water (or fruity white wine or juice)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pre-baked 10" pie crust
Where to begin? This recipe isn't going to make anyone happy (too much cornstarch, too much liquid)
Try this one from Rose Levy Berenbaum's book:
4 cups blueberries, rinsed and dried
1/2 liquid cup and two tablespoons water, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Measure out 1 cup of the blueberries, choosing the softest ones. Place them in a medium saucepan together with the 1/2 cup water. Cover and bring them to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Set it aside.
When the water and blueberries have come to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes or until the blueberries start to burst and the juices begin to thicken. Stirring constantly, add the cornstarch mixture, the sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Simmer for a minute or until the mixture becomes translucent. Immediately remove it from the heat and quickly fold in the remaining 3 cups of blueberries.
Spoon the mixture into the baked pie shell and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. When set, the berries will remain very juicy but will not flow out of the crust.
Just before serving, if desired, pipe or spread the whipped cream around the sides of the pie, leaving the center unadorned and brilliantly glistening.
The low amount of sugar in this pie maintains the tart freshness of the berries. Taste the berries before you begin. If they are very tart, increase the sugar by a few tablespoons.
Rachel,
Thanks for the Beranbaum recipe - that's a great book! Although, be careful what you say about pie and happiness... Abby sent in this recipe because it seems to have made many people in her life happy...
rachel, it's true, a variation of this pie has made my family (and others) very happy for years. i've actually made the berenbaum one, just to compare and it's not that dissimilar. the amount of cornstarch in my family's recipe balances out the amount of liquid. the thickness of the finished result depends on the size and type of berries and their juiciness/tartness (and the taste of the cook). i've made this with blackberries, blueberries, raspberries & strawberries as well as with stone fruit. as i said, my family tinkers with this recipe -- amount of sugar, cornstarch, liquid, how much fruit to cook, how much fruit to fold in, spices, lemon or not to lemon -- but the basic idea's a pie that half cooked fruit (made with cornstarch so that it gels & gives the pie some body) and half fresh fruit to showcase summer's best work.
Hi Abby,
The recipe looks great (and so does the pie). I am actually in the process of making it right now and noticed that you have the cinnamon added twice. Since you suggest cooking until the mixture is think and clear is it safe to guess that the cinnamon is added with the lemon and butter?
oops typo. yes, you're right. that's when i add it however if you add it during the cooking part, that will also work (know that heat can intensify spices). it is why i like this pie -- you can play around with it & it will still work.
The pie was delicious, and didn't last nearly long enough. Teh cinnamon was bit intense (and a tad bit overwhelming) when added while cooking, I'd recommend cutting down on it if you add while cooking.
Now I am trying the recipe with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. I can't wait to try it.
Thanks for the recipe