Fewer things in Maine are sweeter than fresh picked blueberries. Our woodlands are filled with wild blueberries as well as huckleberry bushes.
My daughter & I love to spend time picking berries quietly. She mostly eats them while I do the collecting but those are some of my most favorite moments together.
This year, we picked enough off our own property to bake a blueberry pie. It takes quite a lot of berries to make a preserved product such as jam or pie filling - with only picking in our limited spare time, one whole pie was pretty exciting!
Pie Filling:
Approximately 3 Cups of Blueberries
Cinnamon (to your heart's desire - I do a lot)
2 tsp. Lemon Juice (can substitute orange juice)
2 tbsp. Honey
1 tbsp. Corn Starch or Tapioca (interchangeable)
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Rinse/clean your fresh picked berries. (Ensure that you truly have edible berries before consuming).
On the stove top, place all ingredients in a pot and let them marinate togther, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. Some of the berries will shrink or boil out, into a liquid.
Once it has a thicker consistency using the cornstarch or tapioca, then let it cool for 10 minutes off the heat.
The cornstarch or tapioca helps create form in your pie filling, keeping it from spilling out and being too liquid when you cut into the pie. I normally use tapioca, but the cornstarch does just as well.
*if you like a sweeter pie, you can add a 1/4 cup brown sugar, granulated sugar, or maple syrup to this recipe.
For the crust, I used my very own Dirigo Ranch sourdough starter. I had been gifted a starter from a friend, and became obsessed. I recently got brave and began my own original starter. I have been pumping out baked goods like it is my 3rd (4th? 5th? 6th?) job.
For years I used store brand crusts, you can make them without sourdough - but I was pretty pleased with how this turned out!
Sourdough Pie Crust:
1 Stick Cold Butter
125 grams (1/2 cup) Sourdough Starter
1 Cup Flour (all purpose)
2 tsp. White Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
Use a cheese grater and shred the stick of butter into a bowl.
Mix into a dough with remaining ingredients - you can do this by hand or with a dough hook attached to your KitchenAid - depends on my mood. You may need to "pinch" together the butter or use a fork at first to make it form together. The dough should be moist.
Form it into a disc shape and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a half hour minimum, longer if needed.
Take it out, unwrap, and then halve it. Cover the half with plastic wrap, then, using a rolling pin on top of the plastic wrap, flatten it for your pie pan.
Spread onto a buttered or sprayed pan, fill with your cooled pie filling, then add the top!
Bake at 375°F for 35 - 40 minutes.
Always poke a few holes for air in your crust topper, and then you can consider brushing it with egg whites, milk, or dusting with sugar. They each add a golden-y or sweet finish to the crust. Just a tip!
End result is a rustic, like grandma-made-it, classic hand-picked blueberry pie. I like this recipe for being uncomplicated, letting the flavor of those wild berries shine, without overpowering sweetness.
Happy Trails!
-The Ranch Wife
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