Step 1

Have all of your ingredients ready and chilled. If it is hot out I even put the flour in the freezer for a little while, which makes it easier to work with.

Step 2

Combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to work the butter into the flour, until it looks like cornmeal and starts to stick together when squeezed. You want to keep some of the butter in pea-sized pieces. If the butter is too soft and it won't stay in pieces, place the bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes and then try again. Work in the lard in the same way.

Step 3

Mix together the water and vodka and add to the flour/butter mixture. Stir this with your hand or a wooden spoon, but be very gentle. The goal is to keep the pea-sized chunks of butter in tact.

Step 4

When most of the flour is coming together, gently knead the dough into a ball. It should not be perfectly smooth, but, it should also not seem dry or crumbly.

Step 5

Divide the dough into two pieces and create round disks. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

Step 6

When you are ready to prepare the pie, roll one of the disks out on a well floured surface. If the dough seems hard, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will prevent the edges from cracking too much. You still want the dough to be chilled, so the butter doesn't get too soft.

Step 7

As you are rolling, you can round out the edges with your hands. Cracking edges are part of the beast, but this will help to keep them smoother.

Step 8

Once you have it rolled out to about 1/8-inch thick round, measure the dough to make sure it will fit the 12-inch pie plate. I usually just hold the plate over the dough and eye it. There should be about 2-inches of extra dough beyond the bottom of the plate. Fold the dough over the rolling-pin to lift it.

Step 9

Lift it over the plate and gently fit the crust into the plate. Do NOT trim the edges yet. Set the crust in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. Preheat the oven to 425°F, with the rack at the bottom 1/3 of the oven.

Step 10

Toss together the berries, sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, freshly grated ginger, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Step 11

Roll out the second disk of dough to 1/8-inch thick and use a pastry cutter to make strips for the lattice top.

Step 12

Pour the blueberry mixture into the chilled pie shell. Lay out strips of dough over the blueberries, about 1/2-inch apart. Fold every other strip in half and lay more strips across the ones that are not folded. Unfold the first strips over the ones you just put down. Repeat this, but alternate which strips you fold, until the whole blueberry pie is covered.

Step 13

Fold the bottom crust over the lattice top, trimming any extra so it isn't too bulky.

Step 14

Crimp a design into the edge. If the dough has gotten very soft while working, place it in the freezer for a few minutes before baking.

Step 15

Brush the top of the blueberry pie with egg wash and place the butter between the lattice work. Sprinkle with sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet in case the juices from the pie bubble over the edge of the pie place and slip it into the oven.

Step 16

Bake for 20 minutes and then drop the temperature to 400°F and continue baking for about 40 or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If the crust is nicely colored, but the filling isn't bubbling, tent the pie with foil.

Step 17

Allow the blueberry pie to cool to room temperature and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.