Summer Fruit Pies

Although several great recipes for pies have been posted already, I will add some more pictures and ideas so that we have more to glean from. Below I have the general pie pastry recipe for 1 double crust pie. This will fit a regular or a deep dish pie plate.

BASIC PASTRY ( for double crust pie)

• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 2/3 cup shortening (or 1/3 cup lard and 1/3 cup butter)
• 4 tablespoons cold water

Method:

1. Combine flour, salt and shortening or lard in medium sized mixing bowl. (For a double crust pie I prefer lard and butter mix because it makes a crisper top crust.)
2.  Cut shortening into flour with pastry blender until pieces are the size of large peas. 
3. Sprinkle with water and stir with fork, in circular motion, until there are no more lose crumbs.
4. Press together with hands and shape into a ball. Divide in half. 
5. Turn out on floured surface, pat and shape with hands into circular shape then roll out a little larger than your pie plate. Roll onto rolling pin and unroll into pie plate. Bottom crust should come up higher than edge of pan

FRUIT FILLING – (deep) double crust

• Brush unbaked bottom crust with slightly beaten egg whites, to keep from getting soggy. Fill with fresh or frozen fruit. (approx 6 cups) Sprinkle with mixture of sugar and flour that is WELL MIXED. (Amounts will vary depending on tartness of fruit and taste preference) I just shake or tap the pan so sugar disperses a bit.
• Cover with second crust. Fold top crust over and under bottom crust, so that you can pinch the two layers together as you flute them.
• Brush with beaten egg white and cut small slits. Bake at 400 F for 15 min. Turn down to 350 F and bake for another 50 min. or until juice bubbles out through slits.

Filling Suggestions:

• blueberries - sprinkle with some lemon rind, mix ½ cup sugar and 4 Tbsp flour
•  peaches and nectarines – mix  ½ cup sugar, 3 Tbsp flour and 3 Tbsp tapioca
• blackberries – sprinkle with lemon rind, mix ¾ cup sugar, 4 Tbsp flour and 4 Tbsp tapioca
•  apples – mix ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp flour

FREEZING PIES:

If you want to make up some fruit pies in the summer while the fruit is handy and get the work over and done with, I would suggest multiplying the recipe:

• 1 pound (1 pkg) of shortening or lard, 
• 5 ½ cups flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 egg, 3/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon vinegar 

Divide the pastry into three or four balls and divide each ball again, so that you can make 3 large double crust pies or 4 small double crust pies to fit 9-inch foil pie plates.

Don’t forget to brush the bottom crust with an egg wash and then again the top.
Because the foil pie plates are smaller, use a little less fruit (4 – 5 cups) and a little less sugar mix if you want them slightly on the tart side.

Freeze pies first to freeze the egg wash on top, then transfer into plastic bags, or do the top egg wash just before baking. Note: a frozen foil plated pie will easily transfer into a glass pie plate later.

Extra Tips:
* Don’t knead pastry, rather handle as little as possible.
* If the pastry tears as you transfer it, don’t re-roll, rather patch and seal with egg wash later.
* Don’t add more liquids because it will give a tougher crust.
* Baked pie keeps up to 5 days in the fridge and can be re-heated. Pie can also be frozen raw and baked later.