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Recipe: Wild Blueberry Lattice-Top Pie excerpted from THE PIE ACADEMY

Wild blueberries — most of which come from Maine and the eastern provinces of Canada — are smaller than their cultivated counterparts, with a more distinctive, sweet-tangy flavor. They’re also a bit firmer, so they hold their shape in baked goods. If you’ve never tried them, you should! This lattice-top pie showcases their rich flavor and deep blue colour.

Makes 8–10 servings

Double-Crust Food Processor Pie Dough (page 60) or another double-crust dough

Filling

5 cups wild blueberries, fresh or frozen and partially thawed

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, plus a little for sprinkling

2½ tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Big pinch of salt

Milk or half-and-half, for glaze

*Excerpted with permission from Pie Academy by Ken Haedrich, test © 2020 Ken Haedrich, Published by Storey Publishing, Photography by © Emulsion Studio.*

1. Prepare the dough, shaping half of it into a disk and the other half into a square; both should be about 3/4 inch thick. Wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Roll the round portion of dough into a 121/2- to 13-inch circle and line a 9- to 91/2-inch deep-dish pie pan with it. Refrigerate the shell until needed.

2. Adjust the oven racks so one is in the lower position and another is in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Combine the blueberries and the 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Mix gently, then let stand for 10 minutes. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir into the fruit along with the lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt.

4. Roll the other dough half and cut it into lattice strips as described on page 46.

5. Turn the filling into the pie shell, smoothing out the fruit. Weave a lattice top with the dough strips as described on page 47. Brush the lattice strips lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

6. Put the pie on the prepared baking sheet and bake on the lower oven rack for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and move the pie up to the middle rack, rotating the pie 180 degrees. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, until the pie is golden brown and you can see the juices bubble thickly through the lattice.

7. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for at least 11/2 to 2 hours before serving. Cover and refrigerate leftovers after 24 hours.

Recipe for Success

Especially with a blue filling like this, you are better off brushing the lattice strips with milk before you put the lattice on the pie. Otherwise, you may leave blue streaks on the lattice. No tragedy, but perhaps not what you want.

Read the cookbook review in Recipe Reads by Laurie Wallace-Lynch

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