Seriously fresh blueberry pie
When the summer blueberries are so abundant, I love to feature them in a way that doesn’t mask their sweet-tart and tender beauty. And this pie is chock-full of blueberries.
A pile of fresh berries is bound together with sweetened berries and just a hint of cornstarch to thicken things up. I prefer this to the sometimes gelatinous pie fillings you often find. And being so easy to make, it is perfect for lazy summer weekends. So I am not going to fault you if you prefer to use a premade rolled pie crust.
Nutmeg is a wonderful complement to blueberries. The first time I served this pie, I got that response home cooks love to hear: “What is that flavor? It is so good.” Nutmeg is mysterious and elusive, but adds such a unique twist to a blueberry dessert.
You can absolutely serve this pie with lightly sweetened whipped cream (try tangy buttermilk whipped cream) or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Seriously fresh blueberry pie
Pastry for a 9-inch pie, fully baked and cooled
4 cups blueberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter
1. Place 1 cup blueberries and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Zest the lemon into the blueberries and squeeze the juice into a measuring cup. Add water to make 1/2 cup liquid and add to the blueberries. Stir in the nutmeg and cook over medium-high heat until the berries begin to burst.
2. With an immersion blender, or very carefully in a blender, puree the blueberries until smooth. Mix the cornstarch with just enough water to make a smooth paste, then stir it into the blueberry mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in the butter until melted. Leave to cool.
3. When the mixture is cool, stir in the remaining 3 cups of blueberries and stir to coat. Spread the mixture in the prepared pie crust and chill for several hours.
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