Marionberry Pie

Pastry: (makes enough for two pies)


4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup very cold water

Add flour, shortening, sugar, and salt to a large bowl.

Get out your pastry cutter.  .I was watching this documentary about how the invention of the pastry cutter was what allowed Cro-Magnon man to surpass and eventually entirely supplant the Neanderthal in the chain of human evolution. Or it might have been greater linguistic competence and cultural sophistication and the Colt 45, I don’t know, I wasn’t watching that closely. I was making pie.

Mix flour and shortening with the pastry cutter until it looks nice and crumbly, crumbs should be much smaller than the size of peas. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, egg, and water.

Add to the flour mixture, stirring in till well-moistened.

Shape it with clean hands into a ball of pastry dough. (Don’t overhandle.)

Divide the dough into four equal-size balls.

Wrap each ball with plastic and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before using.These will keep a week in the fridge or a couple months in the freezer in freezer bags.

To use, sprinkle some flour on waxed paper. Sprinkle some more flour on top then roll out, adding more flour if necessary to keep from sticking to your rolling pin. Place in a lightly greased pie pan. You can just up-end the rolled crust right off the waxed paper on top of the pie pan. Add filling.


Filling:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp of lemon juice or 1/4 tsp lemon zest
1 and 3/4 pounds fresh or frozen marionberries* (or other blackberries).

 Note: For frozen, measure, thaw until softened, and use all the juice. (about 6 1/2 cups))

Stir together cornstarch and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Add berries with juices  and lemon and toss to coat. Arrange evenly in pie shell.

Top with another crust, crimp edges and bake at 375 F for 50-60 minutes until it's golden brown.  (if the edges brown too quickly cover with a bit of foil the last 10 minutes or so)

 * Click on the link to read the history of the Marionberry