Spiced Blueberry Pie

Spiced Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:

Pastry

2 3/4 cups flour, plus more for rolling

1/4 to 1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoon salt

8 Tablespoons very cold butter, cut into small pieces

7 Tablespoons very cold shortening, cut into pieces

Fruit Filling

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon quick cooking tapioca

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

2 pints fresh or frozen blueberries

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

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Directions:

Mix 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 Tablespoon sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Drop in 7 Tablespoons butter and the shortening. Cut the shortening and butter into the flour mixture until it resembles corn meal with some pea size pieces.

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Using a fork quickly stir in 1/2 cup very cold water. Turn chunks of dough and crumbs onto a clean surface. Knead just until dough starts to hold together, 5 or 10 times. Divide dough into halves and pat each half into a 6 inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate and chill 15 minutes or up to overnight.

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Put an oven rack at the lowest rung. Preheat oven to 375. Unwrap one disk of dough and put on a floured surface. Roll into a 1 inch circle, (about 1/8 inch thick), turning 90 degrees after each pass with a rolling pin to keep it from sticking. Transfer to a 9 inch pie dish, letting the dough fall into place. (If you push or stretch the dough into place, it will shrink while baking. Trim dough to 1/4 inch past rim of pie dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill for 15 minutes.

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While crust chills, mix remaining flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, tapioca, remaining salt, the cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl. Add blueberries and lemon juice; toss. Taste and add more granulated sugar if you like, (up to 1/4 cup) Pour berry mixture into crust and dot with remaining butter.

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Weave a lattice crust on top of pie. Lay five strips vertically spacing evenly. Take the top of every other strip and fold it back half way. Lay a strip horizontally across the center of pie, next to folds of vertically strips. Fold back vertical strips that were left flat with last weave placing it above the first strip. Repeat alternating strip to complete lattice top of pie.

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Fold bottom crust edge up over top crust and crimp edges together. Bake until crust is browned and filling is bubbling in the center, 60 to 75 minutes. Cover edges with strips of foil browning too quickly. Let cool until bottom of pie is room temperature.