Saskatoon Pie

Method20 steps · about 2 hr 55 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix all five and a half cups pastry flour with all two teaspoons pastry salt in a large bowl. This makes a large pastry batch; only two of its five equal portions will be used for this pie.

   Uses 5½ cups all-purpose flour for large pastry batch · 2 tsp salt for large pastry batch

2. 2

   Step 2: Work the cold cubed pastry butter (1 cup) and cold cubed vegetable shortening (1 cup) into the flour-salt mixture with your fingers or a pastry blender until coarse-oatmeal textured, with some pea-sized fat pieces left. In a separate two-cup measuring jug beat only the pastry egg (1 large) with a fork.

   Uses All mixed pastry flour and salt · 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed, for pastry · 1 cup cold vegetable shortening, cubed, for pastry · 1 large egg for pastry liquid

3. 3

   Step 3: Beat the tablespoon pastry vinegar (1 tbsp) into the beaten pastry egg, then add just enough ice-cold pastry water to bring the combined egg-vinegar-water liquid to the one-cup mark. Stir this measured combined liquid into the flour-fat mixture just until the dough clings together. Keep the separate egg-wash egg and tablespoon wash water for the pie top.

   Uses All flour-fat mixture · The single beaten pastry egg · 1 tbsp vinegar for pastry liquid · Ice-cold water, enough to bring the beaten pastry egg and vinegar together to the 1 cup mark

4. 4

   Step 4: Finish bringing the pastry together gently with your hands or a wooden spoon. Stop as soon as cohesive, avoiding overmixing so the crust stays tender.

   Uses All combined pastry dough

5. 5

   Step 5: On a lightly dusted work surface gather all the pastry into a ball and divide it into five evenly sized portions. Shape each portion into a disc and wrap each tightly.

   Uses All pastry dough · Extra all-purpose flour for light work-surface dusting

6. 6

   Step 6: Chill two of the five wrapped pastry discs in the refrigerator for one hour. Put the other three wrapped discs in a resealable freezer bag and freeze them for a future recipe; those three do not go into this pie.

   Chill the two pastry discs for this pie · 60 minUses Two discs for this pie; three reserved for another use

7. 7

   Step 7: Keep the three unused pastry discs frozen in their sealed freezer bag for up to two months. Leave the two discs selected for this pie chilling in the refrigerator until their hour is complete.

   Uses Only the three reserved discs

8. 8

   Step 8: Heat the oven to 350 °F /about 175 °C and position the rack in the lower third of the oven.

9. 9

   Step 9: Line a baking sheet with foil to catch pie drips during baking and keep it ready.

10. 10

    Step 10: Once the chilling hour is complete, roll one of the two chilled discs on a lightly dusted surface into a circle about 12 inches across. Line a 9 inch pie plate with it, leaving pastry overhanging the edge. Reserve the other chilled disc for the top.

    Uses One of the two chilled discs · Extra all-purpose flour for light work-surface dusting

11. 11

    Step 11: Check the berries for stems and debris. Use clean fresh berries or frozen berries straight from the freezer. Mix all five cups berries with only the measured half cup filling sugar and all three tablespoons cornstarch. Pour this berry filling into the lined pie plate, reserving the separate tablespoon top sugar.

    Uses The lined pie plate · 5 cups Saskatoon berries, fresh or frozen · ½ cup granulated sugar for berry filling · 3 tbsp cornstarch for berry filling

12. 12

    Step 12: Dot the berry filling with only the measured two tablespoons filling butter. Roll the second chilled pastry disc on a lightly dusted surface into another circle about 12 inches across for the top.

    Uses The filled pie plate · 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed, to dot filling · The other of the two chilled discs · Extra all-purpose flour for light work-surface dusting

13. 13

    Step 13: Use a ruler as a guide to cut the rolled top circle into six wide, long strips. Keep the two end pieces from that circle nearby for any patching.

    Uses The rolled top pastry circle

14. 14

    Step 14: Weave the six top strips over and under one another across the butter-dotted berry filling, making sure the strips reach and connect with the bottom-crust edges. Patch with the retained end pieces only if needed.

    Uses The cut top-crust pieces · The filled bottom crust

15. 15

    Step 15: Fold the overhanging bottom-crust edge over, tucking in the lattice-strip ends to seal the juices inside and make a rustic rim.

    Uses The assembled lattice pie

16. 16

    Step 16: Trim and crimp the edge if desired. In a clean small bowl beat the separate egg-wash egg (1 large) with its separate one tablespoon wash water (1 tbsp). Brush this mixed wash over the pastry top and rim, discarding unused wash after it contacts the raw pastry.

    Uses The assembled sealed pie · 1 large egg for egg wash · 1 tbsp water for egg wash

17. 17

    Step 17: Sprinkle only the reserved one tablespoon top sugar (1 tbsp) over the egg-washed pastry. Put the pie plate on the lined baking sheet and bake on the lower oven rack for ninety to one hundred minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the berry filling is bubbling through the lattice.

    Bake lattice pie until golden and bubbling · 100 minUses The ready-to-bake pie · 1 tbsp granulated sugar for pie top

18. 18

    Step 18: Lift the baked pie out of the oven and put the pie plate on a wire rack to cool until comfortably warm or room temperature before cutting.

    Uses The baked pie

19. 19

    Step 19: Cut the finished pie into six servings. Serve warm or at room temperature, with optional prepared whipped cream or ice cream if desired. The other three pastry discs remain frozen for future baking.

    Uses The complete finished pie · Prepared whipped cream to serve, as desired · Ice cream to serve instead of whipped cream, as desired

20. 20

    Step 20: Cover any uneaten pie and refrigerate for up to four days. Refrigerate promptly once cooled, keeping any cream or ice cream separate.

    Uses Any uneaten finished pie