Blueberry Pie

Makes one 9-month double-crust pie

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Make this yummy pie for someone you love.  (For convenience, you can prepare the pie up to the point of baking. Wrap it up tightly and store in the freezer.  Thaw in the fridge a day before baking.)

1 cup sugar or less

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cups fresh blueberries

1 recipe of Perfect Pie Dough, chilled and rolled out into 2 rounds

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 small egg, beaten

1 Tablespoon milk or cream

2 Tablespoons sparkling sugar

(To ensure that your piecrust is flaky, be sure to keep the dough chilled.  Put the chilled pie into a hot oven.)  Preheat oven to 450F.  Whisk together the sugar, flour, tapioca and cinnamon.  Set aside.  Pick over blueberries and discard any stems.  Toss with the sugar/flour mixture.  Let stand for 15 minutes or so.  Place one chilled pie dough round into a 9-inch pie plate.  Pour the berry mixture into the pie plate.  Dot with the butter pieces.  Make an egg wash by mixing together in a small bowl the egg and milk. Set aside. Top with the other pie dough round in whatever fashion you like.  (If topping as a solid round, be sure to cut some slits in the dough.  You can also top the pie with a lattice or stars or small circles of dough.)  Working quickly, crimp the edges of the pie dough. Brush the egg wash over the edges and top of the pie dough.  Sprinkle with sparkling sugar, if desired. (You can chill the pie for 20-30 minutes at this point.  Then pop it in the hot oven.)  Bake the pie at 450F for 10 minutes.  Lower the heat to 350F and continue baking for another 35-45 minutes or so until the pie is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.  Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before cutting and serving.