Deep Dish Strawberry Blueberry Pie
This deep dish Strawberry Blueberry Pie, with a sweet berry filling in a flaky crust, is perfect for summer gatherings and can be topped with vanilla ice cream for an indulgent treat.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Silicone baking mat
- Deep dish pie plate
Ingredients
Berry Filling
- 1 ¼ pounds strawberries 1 large container + 3 strawberries, rinsed, hulled and diced
- 18 ounces blueberries 1 large container, rinsed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 medium lemon juice & zest, or 3 Tablespoons bottled lemon juice
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
Deep Dish Double Pie Crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoons salt
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening
- 13 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 to 12 tablespoons ice water
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sparkling sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Berry Filling
- Rinse the berries. Cut off the green tops of the strawberries and then dice the berries so the pieces are about the size of the blueberries. Put the blueberries and diced strawberries in a medium sized bowl.1 ¼ pounds strawberries, 18 ounces blueberries
- Add the sugar, and lemon juice juice and zest (or bottled lemon juice) to the berries. Toss until coated. Let is sit and macerate for one hour while you make the crust.1 cup granulated sugar, 1 medium lemon
Make the Crust
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¾ teaspoons salt
- Cut the shortening into ¼-inch thick slices and add it to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, work the shortening in until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand.⅓ cup vegetable shortening
- Cube the butter by cutting a stick into fourths, and then slice it to make small cubes. Add it to the flour mixture. Work it in with a pastry blender or your fingers by breaking up the butter so that the mixture has the consistency of small peas.13 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add 5 tablespoons of the ice water to the mixture and work it in just until combined. Add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when you squeeze it.8 to 12 tablespoons ice water
- Turn the dough out onto a floured silicone baking mat or floured surface. Fold the dough into thirds. Then shape it into a circle.
- Cut the circle of dough into two portions, with one slightly larger than the other. Pat each portion into a circular disc. Then roll the discs on their edges to smooth them out. Sprinkle more ice water on any dry spots.8 to 12 tablespoons ice water
- Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Or, wrap in plastic wrap and put them in a zippered freezer bag or layer of aluminum foil, and freeze the dough for up to 2 months.
- After the dough is chilled, remove the plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to roll out the larger disc into ⅛ inch thick circle 13 inches in diameter.
- Fold the circle of dough into fourths (fold it in half twice). Transfer the dough to a greased deep dish pie plate. Center the point of the folded dough in the plate, then unfold the dough. Press it into the bottom of the pan and up the sides, allowing some to hang over the edge.
Assembling the Pie
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃).
- Drain the berry mixture in a colander placed over a smaller bowl. You can save the juice to add to tea.
- Put the berries back in the mixing bowl, Add the cornstarch and mix well.⅓ cup cornstarch
- Sprinkle the pie crust with a tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Add the berry mixture to the pie crust.
- Unwrap the smaller disc of dough. Roll it into a ⅛ inch thick circle that is 12 inches in diameter. Use a cookie cutter to cut out a design in the top crust.
- Transfer the top crust from the baking mat to the pie. It should extend over the rim of the pie plate. Fold the excess top crust over the edge of the botttom crust and pinch to seal the crusts together.
- Crimp the edge of the crust by pinching the knuckle of one finger with two fingers on your other hand. Or, use a fork to press the edges of the crust together.
- Brush the top crust with one beaten egg. Sprinkle the turbinado or sparking sugar on the top crust.1 large egg, 2 tablespoons turbinado or coarse sparkling sugar
- Put the pie plate onto a sheet pan to catch any drips. Bake at 350℉ for 65 minutes. Check the pie after about 45 minutes. If the edges are browned, cover them with a pie shield or strips of foil.
- The pie is done when the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let it cool completely on a cooling rack or in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Store the pie in an airtight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can use a store-bought crust instead of making the crust. If you want a top crust, you will need to buy the sheets of pie crust dough. Put the top crust on a floured surface before using cookie cutters to cut out a design.
- This recipe was tested using a glass 9 1/2 inch deep dish Pyrex pie plate.
- If you freeze the dough before rolling it, you will need to thaw it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before rolling it out. Or you can thaw it on the counter for at least one hour to bring it to room temperature.
- You can substitute raspberries or blackberries for some of the strawberries or blueberries. You will need about 6-7 cups of berries altogether for the filling.
- Make sure to drain the berry mixture well so that the filling is not watery after baking.
- The juice that is drained off of the filling mixture makes an excellent sweetener for iced tea or even added to plain water.
- Serve the sliced pie with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.