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Blueberry Pie in Cornmeal Crust

Susan Reid | September 10, 2020

Cornmeal with a hint of lemon zest gives this crust a bit of crunch that perfectly complements the blueberry filling. Cast iron ensures a deep golden color and beautiful crisp crust for a pie that’s down home delicious.

Level
Intermediate
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
55-65 minutes
Serves
12
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Blueberry Pie in Cornmeal Crust Recipe

Ingredients

Cornmeal Piecrust
  • 1½ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ¾ cup stone ground cornmeal
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • ¼ cup vegetable shortening
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter
  • 6-8 tablespoons ice water
Blueberry Filling
  • 6-7 cups fresh blueberries, washed and drained
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup Instant ClearJel or ½ cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ¼ teaspoon teaspoon cinnamon or ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, optional
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • milk and sugar for garnishing the top, if desired

Directions

For the crust:
  1. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
  2. Cut in the vegetable shortening until the mixture looks crumbly. Cut in the cold butter until it’s in dime-sized pieces. Drizzle in the ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough begins to come together. When you squeeze the mixture together and it stays in a ball, divide it into two pieces, with one being slightly larger than the other (60-40; the larger piece will be for the bottom crust).
  3. On a piece of plastic wrap, pat each piece into a disk about ¾-inch thick. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes before rolling out. 
For the filling:
  1. Place the blueberries in a large bowl. Whisk together the sugar and ClearJel (or flour) and spices, if using. Pour over the berries and stir to coat. 
To assemble:
  1. Lightly grease a cast iron pie pan or 10 inch skillet. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Place another rack below the center with a lined baking sheet to catch any drips.
  2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the larger piece of pie dough to a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and trim so that ¾ inches of dough is hanging over the edge all around. 
  3. Transfer the berry mixture to the lined pan and sprinkle the filling with the lemon juice. 
  4. Roll out the second piece of dough to a 10- to 11-inch circle on a piece of parchment. You can vent the top using a small cutter in a decorative pattern if you like. Use the parchment to help you transfer the dough to the top of the pie. 
  5. Seal the and crimp the edges. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sugar, if desired. 
  6. Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 40-50 minutes. Check the pie at 30 minutes and cover the edges if needed to keep them from browning too far. Bake until the filling is bubbling all the way to the center.
  7. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.
     
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Skillet and Egg Logo
Contributed By: Susan Reid

Chef Susan Reid is the food editor of Sift Magazine, a baking publication by King Arthur Baking Company. In her spare time, Susan shares some of her recipes on her blog, The Well Plated Life

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