Fresh Blueberry Pie

Step 1

For the crust: Prepare pie dough for a double crust pie. Divide the dough in half and chill, wrapped in plastic, until ready to use.

Step 2

If you plan on freezing the whole unbaked pie, spray a 9-inch pie pan with baking spray and line the bottom with an 8-inch parchment paper round cut down to fit the bottom of the pan. Roll out one of the dough portions and ease it into the pie pan. Chill the pie shell and the remaining dough while you make the pie filling.

Step 3

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 400 °F.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, Instant ClearJel or cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. Note: if you plan on freezing the unbaked pie, add a little extra ClearJel to soak up any extra juices from being frozen.

Step 5

In a large bowl, stir the blueberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest together. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the blueberries and toss gently to combine.

Step 6

Assemble the pie: Transfer the filling to the chilled unbaked pie shell. Dot the butter over the top of the filling.

Step 7

Roll out the top crust. If desired, cut the dough into strips for a lattice crust.

Step 8

Top the pie with the crust (either whole or in the lattice) and crimp the edges together. Cut slits in the top crust if you're not making a lattice top.

Step 9

Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream. Brush the egg wash onto the crust, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Step 10

Refrigerate the pie for 20 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes before baking to chill the pie dough. Place a half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper in the oven to heat for 5 minutes. This helps the bottom of the pie to cook evenly and to catch any drips.

Step 11

Place the pie in the oven on the heated pan, and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 °F and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and filling is bubbling. Cover the edge after 20 minutes If it's browning too fast.

Step 12

Remove the pie to a wire rack, and cool for 3 hours to allow the filling to set.

Step 13

To serve: Reheat the pie in a 350 °F oven for 5 to 10 minutes to re-crisp the crust, if desired. Slice and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Step 14

To store a baked fruit pie: Leftovers can be stored wrapped tightly in foil at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze baked and cooled pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Step 15

To store an unbaked fruit pie: Place the assembled pie (in its pan) in the freezer, and freeze until solid, about 2 to 3 hours. Remove the pie from the freezer. Remove it from the pie pan (you can set the pan in a slightly larger pan of warm water, to thaw the underside just a bit), then peel away the parchment paper. Wrap the pie in 2 layers of plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then place back in the freezer. You can store the frozen, unbaked pie for several months. Note: this method works for fruit pies (perfect for apple pie!), but not egg- or milk-based fillings (like pecan pie or pumpkin pie).The night before you're ready to bake the pie, unwrap it and place it back in the pie pan. Defrost the pie overnight in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap propped by a couple of toothpicks to keep it from sticking to the top crust. Brush the defrosted pie with egg wash and proceed with baking as usual.