Saskatoon Pie

Ingredients

• 6 cupall-purpose flour, for pastry (makes 5 discs; use 2 for this pie, freeze remaining 3)
• 2 tspsalt, for pastry
• 1 cupunsalted butter, cold; cubed; for pastry
• 1 cupvegetable shortening, cold; for pastry
• 1egg, large; beaten into water with vinegar to form pastry liquid
• 1 tbspvinegar, beaten into pastry liquid; helps tenderness
• water, ice-cold; enough to bring the egg-vinegar mixture to 1 cup total
• 5 cupsaskatoon berries, fresh or frozen; serviceberries
• 1/2 cupsugar, for berry filling
• 3 tbspcornstarch, for berry filling
• 2 tbspunsalted butter, dotted over berry filling before adding top crust
• 1egg, beaten; for egg wash on top crust
• 1 tbspwater, mixed with beaten egg for egg wash
• 1 tbspsugar, sprinkled over pastry top before baking

Method

1. 1

   Make the pastry: mix the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal with some pea-sized pieces. Beat the egg with the vinegar and enough ice-cold water to make 1 cup total. Stir into the flour until the dough just clings together.

2. 8

   Place on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 90–100 minutes until golden and bubbling. Cool on a wire rack.

3. 2

   Gather the dough into a ball and divide into 5 equal discs. Wrap in plastic. Chill 2 discs for at least 1 hour. Freeze the remaining 3 for future use.

4. 3

   Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) with the rack in the lower third. Line a baking sheet with foil.

5. 4

   Roll 1 pastry disc into a 30cm circle and fit into a 23cm (9-inch) pie plate with the pastry overhanging.

6. 5

   Toss the berries with the ½ cup sugar and cornstarch and pour into the base. Dot with the 2 tbsp butter.

7. 6

   Roll the second pastry disc into a 30cm circle. Cut into 6 wide strips. Weave into a lattice over the filling. Fold the bottom pastry edges over and crimp.

8. 7

   Mix the beaten egg and 1 tbsp water for egg wash. Brush over the pastry. Sprinkle with the 1 tbsp sugar.