Summer means berry pies. There’s really no way around that statement. The fall and winter have their pumpkin and their pecan, but the summer is all about the fresh berries and stone fruits. Peach, cherry, apricot, plum, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, and blueberry. Oh yes, blueberry.

This pie is all about the blueberry.

My summer memories are sweetened with blueberries. A visit to my grandpa’s house in Pennsylvania has always occasioned in a little trip to the farm for blueberry picking. Pail and buckets tied with strings to carry around our necks, we set off among rows and rows of blueberry bushes picking perfectly ripe berries and tossing them into the pail with a little plop. The best thing ever, is of course, finding an unspoiled bush filled to the brim with juicy, gigantic blueberries. Plop, plop, toss in the mouth, plop, toss in the mouth. Obviously, I have to sample the berry of each bush to deem it suitable. Who wouldn’t?

The grand culmination of the blueberry pick-a-thon was blueberry pies, pancakes, squares, and more pies. Plus freezing some blueberries to have more and more blueberry pies in the future. As you can see, I’m a girl raised on blueberry pies.

This pie is perfection; a delightful summer indulgence. The crust is flaky and moist, while the filling is bursting with juicy berries and a hint of a zesty, bright lemon. Blueberries are one of the absolute best sources of antioxidants of all fruits, vegetables, spices, and herbs. That means, those little blue beauties help to prevent free radical damage to your lovely insides.

So here’s to summer! Here’s to my grandparents! And here’s to blueberry pie!

Blueberry Pie

Crust:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted organic butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp salt
2 ½ cups unbleached flour
¼ – ½ cup ice water

In a large bowl combine flour, butter and salt. Using your hands, mix ingredients until a coarse meal forms. Slowly add in water, continuing to shape the dough with your hands. Mix until dough holds together, without being crumbly. If the dough remains flaky, add in 1 T of ice water at a time until dough forms solid ball.

Divide the dough into 2 equal balls. Roll out both into flat pie shapes and let sit as you make the blueberry filling.

Blueberry Pie Filling:
6 cups fresh blueberries, picked over to remove stems
1 T fresh lemon juice
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup honey
Dash each of cinnamon and nutmeg
¼ cup cornstarch

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently to combine.

In a pie dish, center and place one disk of dough, gently folding the excess dough over the edges; don’t remove it! Gently, pour the blueberry filling into the dish. Use a spatula to scrape out all the juice and spices in the bowl.

If you want to do a lattice crust for your pie, simply take a paring knife and cut your other rolled out dough into long strips. Gently place the strips on top of pie in a lattice formation.

If you would prefer a regular crust, simply take second rolled out disk and place over top pie filling.

Using two fingers, gently crimp edges along the pie tucking and folding excess dough as you go along.

Once pie is put together and edges are crimped, beat one egg yolk and use a brush to lightly brush the dough on top of the pie.

Make sure to protect the edges of your pie with a pie shield or aluminum foil. Burnt piecrust is not tasty. Place pie on center of cookie sheet in the oven, a small precaution incase of blueberries bubbling over.

Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes, or until crust turns golden browns. Enjoy!