An occasional series in which staff members share a recipe that we turn to time and again:
I must admit to a small, happy sigh when the cookbook I reach for falls open to a well-visited page. Familiar topography: a dried splotch or two, a slight waffle where damp hands have rested to check the directions. Even if I haven't made the recipe for ages, I can see that it's worth making.
For example, the Blueberries chapter of my copy of "Nova Scotia Cooking" has inky-blue and buttery stains throughout, though I've had the book for a mere 1 1/2 summers. The Blueberry Gingerbread and Wild Blueberry Flan will be revisited in due time, but man, what's (literally) on Page 173! The makings of Wild Blueberry Pie are fresh and delicate. Its crust calls for confectioners' sugar and a light touch to blend the pastry.
Its stove-top filling whisks together in no time at all, bursting some of the powdery blue-black berries into a rich, violet-red sauce that coats the remaining fruit, which escapes the heat altogether.
Best of all, its assembly is last-minute -- no molten creation from the oven here -- so this is a dish that can be taken to its destination separately via pie plate and container. This recipe doubles easily, so make one for friends, and keep one set of fixings for yourself.
Adapted from "Nova Scotia Cooking," by Charles Lief and Heather Mackenzie (Key Porter Books, 1997):
Wild Blueberry Pie
8 servings
The book's authors call this "a new twist on the traditional blueberry pie," because of the shortbread base and fruit that, because it is uncooked, "retains its shape and firmness." Serve with whipped cream and a garnish of lemon zest.
For the crust:
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
For the filling:
1/4 cup cornstarch
Pinch salt
3/4 cup water
4 cups blueberries (about 2 pints)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
For the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the flour and confectioners' sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, fork or your fingertips to form a fine crumb, then gently press the mixture into a flat disc and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This dough will be very tender and a little tricky to work with. Mold the chilled dough across the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate, preferably glass or ceramic. (Tip: The dough will be easier to manipulate if you lay a generous swath of plastic wrap on top of it as you work, with the wrap acting as a protective layer between your fingers and the dough. Be sure to remove the plastic before you pop the crust into the oven.) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Cool the crust before adding the filling.
For the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, salt and 1/4 cup of the water to make a loose paste. Add 1 cup of the blueberries, the granulated sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 3 cups blueberries and lemon juice. Pour into the pie shell and cool.
Per serving: 296 calories, 2 gm protein, 45 gm carbohydrates, 13 gm fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 8 gm saturated fat, 42 mg sodium, 2 gm dietary fiber
-- Bonnie S. Benwick
