Cast Iron Blueberry Pie
By Leah ColinsPublished on July 6, 2017
Time
2 hours, plus 4 hours cooling
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
This recipe was developed using fresh blueberries, but unthawed frozen blueberries will work. In step 1, cook half the frozen blueberries, without mashing, for 12 to 15 minutes, until reduced to 1¼ cups. Grind the tapioca to a powder in a spice grinder or a mini food processor. Use a coarse grater to shred the apple. If using an enameled skillet, we recommend placing a baking sheet underneath while baking to catch any juices that might bubble over. You can use a double batch of our Foolproof Single-Crust Pie Dough or store-bought pie dough in this recipe.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook 3 cups blueberries in 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, mashing occasionally with potato masher, until blueberries are broken down and mixture is thickened and measures about 1½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to large bowl and let cool slightly.
- Place shredded apple in clean dish towel and wring tightly to squeeze out as much liquid as possible; transfer apple to bowl with cooked blueberries. Stir in remaining 3 cups uncooked blueberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest and juice, and salt until combined.
- Grease clean, dry, cooled skillet. Loosely roll 1 crust around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto prepared skillet. Ease crust into skillet by gently lifting and supporting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into skillet bottom and corners with your other hand. Leave any overhanging dough in place.
- Transfer blueberry mixture to dough-lined skillet and scatter butter on top. Use 1¼-inch round cookie cutter to cut round from center of remaining crust. Cut 6 more rounds from crust, 1½ inches from edge of center hole and equally spaced around center hole. Loosely roll crust around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto filling.
- Trim any overhanging dough to ½ inch beyond lip of skillet, then ease edge of top crust into skillet until flush with bottom crust. Gently press top and bottom crusts together to seal. Roll in edge of crust, then press rolled edge against sides of skillet using index finger to create attractive fluted rim. Brush crust liberally with egg wash.
- Transfer skillet to oven and bake until crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, rotate skillet, and continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer skillet to wire rack and let pie cool to room temperature, about 4 hours. Serve.
Time
2 hours, plus 4 hours coolingYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Too often, fruit pie appears perfect on the outside while a watery filling and pale, soggy bottom crust hide inside. We wanted our blueberry pie to have a browned, tender crust and a filling full of fresh flavor and plump berries. To thicken the filling, we used tapioca plus a shredded Granny Smith apple, which contains naturally thickening pectin. This combination allowed the bright blueberry flavor to shine through. The heat retention of the cast-iron skillet was crucial in creating a crisp, flaky bottom crust that stood up to a wet fruit filling. To vent the steam from the berries, we cut out circles in the top dough. A well-greased skillet made it easy to get perfect slices out of the pan.
Before You Begin
This recipe was developed using fresh blueberries, but unthawed frozen blueberries will work. In step 1, cook half the frozen blueberries, without mashing, for 12 to 15 minutes, until reduced to 1¼ cups. Grind the tapioca to a powder in a spice grinder or a mini food processor. Use a coarse grater to shred the apple. If using an enameled skillet, we recommend placing a baking sheet underneath while baking to catch any juices that might bubble over. You can use a double batch of our Foolproof Single-Crust Pie Dough or store-bought pie dough in this recipe.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook 3 cups blueberries in 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, mashing occasionally with potato masher, until blueberries are broken down and mixture is thickened and measures about 1½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to large bowl and let cool slightly.
- Place shredded apple in clean dish towel and wring tightly to squeeze out as much liquid as possible; transfer apple to bowl with cooked blueberries. Stir in remaining 3 cups uncooked blueberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest and juice, and salt until combined.
- Grease clean, dry, cooled skillet. Loosely roll 1 crust around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto prepared skillet. Ease crust into skillet by gently lifting and supporting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into skillet bottom and corners with your other hand. Leave any overhanging dough in place.
- Transfer blueberry mixture to dough-lined skillet and scatter butter on top. Use 1¼-inch round cookie cutter to cut round from center of remaining crust. Cut 6 more rounds from crust, 1½ inches from edge of center hole and equally spaced around center hole. Loosely roll crust around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto filling.
- Trim any overhanging dough to ½ inch beyond lip of skillet, then ease edge of top crust into skillet until flush with bottom crust. Gently press top and bottom crusts together to seal. Roll in edge of crust, then press rolled edge against sides of skillet using index finger to create attractive fluted rim. Brush crust liberally with egg wash.
- Transfer skillet to oven and bake until crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, rotate skillet, and continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer skillet to wire rack and let pie cool to room temperature, about 4 hours. Serve.
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