SWEET PASTRY DOUGH
1 c Unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 ts Baking powder
1/4 c Sugar 4 tb Butter
1 pn Salt 1 lg Egg
BLUEBERRY FILLING
2 pt Blueberries 1 tb Grated lemon zest
3/4 c Sugar 3/4 c Walnut pieces
3 tb Cornstarch – toasted & coarsely chopped
3 tb Water
-WALNUT CRUMB TOPPING-
4 tb Butter 3/4 c Unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 c Sugar 1/2 c Walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 ts Cinnamon
MIXING THE PASTRY DOUGH: Stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Cut up and add the butter; toss gently to coat. Rub in the butter
until the mixture looks sandy. Beat the egg and toss into the flour
and butter mixture. Press the dough together, wrap and chill it.
FORMING THE PIE SHELL: Lightly flour the work surface and dough. Roll
the dough to a 14-inch diameter disk, 1/8-inch thick. Fit the dough
into a 9-inch oven-proof glass pie pan and trim away all but 1/4-inch
of the excess dough. Turn the excess dough under and flute the edge
of the pie. Chill while preparing the filling.
MIXING THE FILLING: Rinse and pick over the blueberries and drain
them on a paper-towel-lined pan. Combine one third of the berries and
the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat,
stirring occasionally. Simmer the berries in the juices that
accumulate about 5 minutes. Strain the juices into another pan. Pour
the water into a small bowl and stir in the cornstarch to dissolve
it. Return the blueberry juices to a boil and beat about one quarter
of it into the dissolved cornstarch. Return the remaining juices to a
boil and beat the cornstarch mixture into it. Return the juices to a
boil, beating constantly, and allow to boil about 1 to 2 minutes,
beating constantly. Stir in the remaining blueberries, the cooked
berries, lemon zest and walnuts, and cool.
MIXING THE CRUMB TOPPING: Cream the butter until soft, add the sugar
and cream until soft and light. Beat in the cinnamon. Mix in the
flour, then the walnuts. The mixture should fall into large, soft
crumbs. Pour the filling into the prepared pan and smooth. Scatter
over the crumbs and bake at 350F until the filling is set, the crumbs
have colored and the crust is baked through, about 40 minutes. Cool
on a rack. Makes one 9-inch pie.
NICK MALGIERI – PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK
Yields
8 servings