We inherited a blackberry bush when we moved into our house four years ago.
Blackberry bushes, we learned, produce fruit every two years. On the first year we got berries, we would go outside and pick the ripe ones and immediately eat them. This lasted a week or two until all the fruit was gone. It was pleasant and I felt very domestic. Blackberry bushes, how quaint!
This year, the blackberry bush produced again. Unlike last time though, we’re bringing in buckets and buckets and buckets of blackberries inside. I kid you not, we picked almost seven pounds of berries in a single week. Our fridge has little room for anything else, and all three of us are doing our part to keep up with the berry harvest.
Last weekend I came to the bitter conclusion that we were falling behind. There was literally no way we could eat that many blackberries fresh before they went bad, so I turned to the only solution I had in my back pocket: pie.
How much is too much berry to cram into a single pie? I started with a pound and a half. It could take more. Two pounds? There was still room. Two and a half pounds is where the pie maxed out. Two and a half pounds of fresh berries. I love it.
With all that sweet delicious fruit, this pie needed only a little additional sugar. I added sage to give the pie a bit more depth of flavor, along with some vinegar to cut through some of the natural sweetness.
I wanted the pie to be perfectly beautiful too, but to be honest the weather was warm and my dough cracked a bit as I put the top crust on. Juices most definitely over flowed while baking. And I’m still a total amateur when it comes to crimping a pie crust.
But guess what—none of this matters, because this pie tastes like perfection. It’s been sitting on our counter for a few days, and we’re ending every evening with a big slice. I’ve found a new favorite way to stash away the blackberry bounty of the year. Too bad I need to wait until 2019 to do it again.
- 2¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
- 3 tablespoons ice water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2½ pounds blackberries
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 egg, whisked, for egg wash
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and salt. Add cubes of butter and use your hands to work butter into flour, until a shaggy dough starts to form. Combine water and vinegar and add to dough. Knead dough until it comes together.
- Divide dough into two even pieces. Shape each into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill for an hour while you make the filling.
- In a large bowl, mix together blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, vinegar, and sage. Use a wooden spoon to gently mash blackberries until they break down and release juices. Set aside until dough is ready to go.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the discs of dough to about 13 inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9 inch pie dish, letting the sides hang over by about 1 - 1½ inches. Roll the second pie disc of dough to about the same size.
- Pour blackberry filling into the pie dish and spread evenly. Place the top crust on top of the filling and work your way around the pie, pressing the top and bottom crusts together and crimping, if desired. Brush crust with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
- Place pie on a baking sheet (this pie is juicy and may bubble over) and bake for 90 minutes. Let cool for at least 4 hours before serving.
That looks fantastic! Makes my mouth water. :)
writes AngieThank you Angie!
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