Flashback Friday ~ Pie Crust

We have a winner for this book give away.  Check below this first segment.

 Who does not enjoy pie?  Just this past weekend, the Calgary Cousins reminded me that I needed to bake a blackberry pie, it's tradition.   It's always enjoyable to take some of the old traditional recipes and make something that everyone loves.  Today I'm going to share with you my blackberry filling.

It's Flashback Friday and I'm bringing you back to my original pie recipe from the Mennonite Treasury.  How many of you have this cookbook in your kitchens?  Mine is so dirty, that it's almost an embarrassment but non the less, it works well and this recipe has fed many crowds. If you need a real tutorial, check out the first MGCC book, where Anneleise guides us through a step by step tutorial.

Just wondering...is there someone here who has never tried making a pie?  Leave a comment and your name because you may just be eligible for our MGCC cookbook giveaway.  The lucky winner will receive her own cook book with a step-by-step pie making tutorial.   Leave your comment and name so we can contact you.  
I will announce the winner on this same post in the following week.  

We have a winner....The names were listed, folded and drawn from a hat.
Congratulations Selina!   You are the lucky winner. 
Thanks for the wonderful recipes on this blog, I don't comment often but I do look at it every day and use the recipes sometimes. I have never made a successful pie. I once tried when I was about 14 years old, but it was not a success. I sometimes make mini pies in my muffin tin, but they are not the same. I would love a copy of this book, and would use it often!! Especially after a tutorial.
Thanks again,
Selina.
Please email me with your contact information. 
You can reach me at margbartel13@gmail.com
Thank you.

Pie Pastry

•  5 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 lb. lard or shortening 
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 eggs

Instructions

1. Sift dry ingredients, flour salt and lard in a bowl.
2. Using a pastry blender cut into flour until the size of large peas.
3. Beat eggs in cup, add vinegar and fill cup with cold water.
4. Slowly add this wet mixture to the loose crumbs and keep mixing.
5. Remember you don't want to over beat this dough!
6. Keeps will in refrigerator.
7. The pastry is enough for about 3-4 /10inch pies, depending on how thick you make the crust.

Blackberry Pie Filling

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 6 cups fresh blackberries 

1. Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together in a bowl.
2. Add blackberries and coat well.
3. Add this mixture into a pie crust and add the top pie crust.
4. Make a few slits into the crust.
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes
6. Then lower heat to 325 degrees for 20 more minutes.

Tip:

I do not cover my edges with tin foil, as suggested in many recipes and I generally don't add egg whites.   I prefer the edges and top crust to be well baked giving it a great flaky taste.

Here is my original Apple Pie filling used from the Betty Crocker Book.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 8 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples
• 3 tbsp. butter

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees, Prepare pastry as instructed above.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt;
3. Mix with apples.
4. Turn into pastry-lined pie pan.
5. Dot with butter.
6. Cover with top crust and cut slits into the crust.
7. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes and then reduce to 350 for 45 minutes.

Tip:

First of all, don't go and look for your old re-cycled apples. Use those for applesauce.  I try to find the most crisp apples. (Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Jonagolds, Spartans)

Apple Pie is a favorite at our home any time. Add a scoop of ice-cream and we've got mouths wanting more.  Left over pie is perfect for any breakfast meal.  Pies have replaced birthday cakes in our home. Somehow I never exceeded at baking cakes, so I resorted to making pies.