Email to Cat      

Huckleberry Pie

Source of Recipe


From "Relish the American Table" by Greg Patent



List of Ingredients



• -- Pastry --
  
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry measuring cups to overflowing and sweep off excess with a straight-edge)
  
• ½ tsp salt
  
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  
• ½ cup Crisco, at room temperature, cut into pieces
  
• 6 Tbsp ice water
  
• 1½ tsp cider vinegar
  
• .
  
• -- Filling --
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 4 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  
• 1/8 tsp salt
  
• 5 cups fresh or partially thawed frozen huckleberries
  
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  
• 2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  
• .
  
• 1 Tbsp sugar (for top of pie)
  






Instructions



1. To make the pastry:
   Stir together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter pieces and work them into the flour using a pastry blender or two knives until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the shortening and work it into the flour until the pieces of shortening are about the same size as the butter pieces. Combine the ice water and vinegar in a small cup. Add to the flour mixture, about 1 tablespoon at a time, while tossing with a fork. Continue mixing until the dough just gathers into a ball.
   
   
2. Divide the dough into 2 portions, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten each into 1-inch-thick disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Roll the larger piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate (ovenproof glass preferable). Do not trim off excess pastry; just let it hang. Refrigerate.
   
   
3. To make the filling:
   Combine the 1 cup of sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Add the huckleberries (if frozen, be sure berries are half-thawed before using) and lemon juice and fold everything together gently to combine well. Let stand 15 minutes. (Important to do this to soften the tapioca.) Meanwhile, adjust two oven racks with one on the bottom shelf and the other in the center. Put a heavy baking sheet on the bottom rack and preheat oven to 450° F.
   
   
4. To assemble the pie:
   On a lightly floured surface, roll the second piece of dough into an 11-inch circle. Spoon the huckleberry filling into the pastry-lined pan and dome it slightly. Distribute the butter pieces evenly over the filling. Use a pastry brush to moisten the edges of the bottom pastry and cover with the top pastry. Press edges together firmly, fold it back on itself to make a standing rim, and flute. Brush top of pastry with water and make 5 or 6 slits for steam to escape. Sprinkle top evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Put the pie into the heavy baking sheet on the lower rack and bake 25 minutes.
   
   
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 350° F, and bake until the pastry is deep golden brown and the pie juices bubble thickly into the slits about 50 minutes more. Cool the pie completely at least several hours, before cutting and serving. If you cut the pie too soon, the filling will run all over the place. You can hasten the setting of the filling by refrigerating the pie for 3 to 4 hours once it has reached room temperature.
   
   Serves 8