The tale of two pies. I made this mixed berry pie when we were all doing our own recipes during the pandemic. It was a soupy mess and I did not want to repeat it. This summer I purchased a Costco mixed berry pie for research purposes 🙂 to compare the two. Costco had the addition of cranberries, not a normal summer fruit but one with more pectin. The Costco pie was thicker than mine but still on the runny side. We love summer fruit pies so I decided to give blueberry a try but I went totally rouge with the recipe to avoid a runny pie.

• 6 cups of fresh blueberries
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca, ground in spice grinder
• Pinch of table salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large egg with 1 teaspoon water

Adjust the oven rack to lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the oven rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove one disk of dough from refrigerator and roll out to 12 inches. Place dough in pie plate. Chill in refrigerator while you make the filling. 

For the filling: place 3 cups of berries in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Using a potato masher, mash berries several times to release juices. Continue to cook, stirring frequently and mashing occasionally, until about half of berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. 

Place grated apple in clean kitchen town and wring dry. Transfer apple to large bowl. Add cooked berries, remaining 3 cups of uncooked berries, lemon zest, juice, sugar, tapioca, and salt; toss to combine. Transfer mixture to dough-line pie plate and scatter butter pieces over filling. 

Roll out second disk of dough. Using 1 1/4 inch cookie cutter, cut round from center of dough. Cut another 6 rounds from dough. Place on top of the pie. Brush top and edges of pie with the egg wash. 

Place on heated baking sheet and bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. Recipe from Cooks Illustrated.

The results were a perfectly sliced, fresh tasting blueberry pie. A new family favorite which I can make once a year. To see what others made head over to Cook the Book Fridays.

July has been a berry good month.