Blueberry Slab Pie

My 4-year-old granddaughter put in an order for a “pie made just from blue-blerries”.  Our berries aren’t quite ripe so I thought I would make her a pie now with frozen berries and another with fresh berries later.  Of course, it’s doubtful enough of our blue-blerries can make it past the mouths of two 4 year olds who love to stand at the bush and eat every ripe one in sight.

Blueberries are low in pectin so a thickening agent, such as flour or cornstarch, is necessary to make pie filling set up. I don’t have a blueberry pie filling recipe in my files.  My grandmother wasn’t one to make many pies.  She was more inclined to make cobblers, jelly or preserves from fruit.  So, I never got “pie training” from her. I’ve made lots of pies. The idea of a pie isn’t intimidating.  My concern was to get the right amount of thickening for this low pectin fruit.

I set out on an internet search for the answer.  For two days, I read every blueberry pie recipe I could find.  The more I read, the more I got confused. Recommended amounts for flour or cornstarch ranged anywhere from 1 tablespoon to 1/2 cup.  Whoa, Nellie!  That’s a huge difference.  I was afraid that 1/2 cup was too much and would turn the filling to jelly.

When faced with this type of cooking challenge, ordinarily, I would retreat to my test kitchen and start tinkering until I felt I got it right.  I decided I would make a slab pie instead of a standard pie and I would need about three pounds of berries.  I priced three pounds of frozen blueberries at my grocery store and almost fell out.  They were around $11.00.  For that kind of money, they’re ain’t gonna be any tinkering going on.  So, I turned to Martha.  I have to admit that I’m not a frequent reader or follower of all things Martha. However, God love her heart, I know that she’s made about every slab pie imaginable.

This is what I learned is most important in making a blueberry pie filling set.

• Cook the pie until the filling bubbles. If it doesn’t bubble, the thickening agent never wakes up. You will have a runny filling.  That doesn’t mean your pie ‘s ruined. It simply means your choice of an eating utensil will be a spoon instead of a fork.
• Let the pie cool for at least two hours before cutting it.  Three hours is even better.  This will test your  willpower something fierce. While the pie’s cooling, I suggest you get in your car and drive 1 1/2 hours in one direction and then 1 1/2 hours back to your home. You’ll be hungry and ready for some pie by the time you complete your journey.  And you’ll be so proud that your filling set. If you follow this advice, don’t forget to check your gas tank before you leave.

Despite all my goings on in this post, this really is an easy recipe and it makes a huge pie that will feed a crowd.  I will certainly make it again. And again.

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Blueberry Slab Pie

adapted from Martha Stewart

yield: one 10 x 14 inch pie

preheat oven to 400 degrees

Unless you have a super duper, high performance, high capacity food processor, make the crust in two batches. This was a capacity overload for my food processor. The  flour and butter didn’t turn over correctly resulting in a medium size layer of smooth butter and flour on the bottom and a giant layer of flour and butter on the top that never incorporated. I wound up with a big ol’ mess that I had to work and work and work to finally get right. My crust came out more like shortbread than a flaky pie crust. There’s nothing in the world wrong with a shortbread crust. The flavor was outstanding. However, next time, I will make the crust in two batches. My food processor can handle that. This recipe is essentially two (two crust) recipes.  Be certain to cook until the filling is bubbly or the thickening agent won’t activate properly.  Let cool for at least two hours, three’s  better, before slicing.  Thawed and drain frozen berries before using.

crust:

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

1 cup ice water

Place flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Whirl a few times to stir.

Add in butter and pulse until the flour looks like coarse meal.

Leave food processor running and slowly add ice water until the dough clumps together.  If more water is needed, add one tablespoon at the time.

Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap.  Chill for at least one hour.

Filling:

3 pounds blueberries, thaw and drain if frozen

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

juice of one regular Meyer lemon

Mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a big ol’ bowl.  Stir in blueberries and lemon juice. Gently turn berries until they are well mixed with the flour mixture.

To assemble:

On a floured surface, roll half the dough to cover the bottom and sides of a 10×14 inch rimmed baking sheet and have a one inch overhang. Pour berry filling on top of crust. Taste a few of the berries.  If more sweetness is desired, sprinkle a little sugar on top of the filling.

Roll the remaining dough on a floured surface to approximately the same size.  Cover the berries with the top dough. Fold the  edges of the top crust under the bottom crust and tuck them inside the pan. Crimp the edges.  Cut a few slits in the top for venting.

Place in a 400 degree preheated oven and turn temperature down to 375.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is brown.  Wrap the edges of the crust in aluminum foil is they brown too much before the filling gets bubbly.

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4 from 6 votes

Blueberry Slab Pie

Blueberry slab pie with just the right thickness of blueberry filling and crumbly crust.

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• crust:
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups 4 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1 cup ice water
• Filling:
• 3 pounds blueberries thaw and drain if frozen
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• juice of one regular Meyer lemon

Instructions

• crust:
• Place flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Whirl a few times to stir.
• Add in butter and pulse until the flour looks like coarse meal.
• Leave food processor running and slowly add ice water until the dough clumps together. If more water is needed, add one tablespoon at the time.
• Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill for at least one hour.
• Filling:
• juice of one regular Meyer lemon
• Mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a big ol’ bowl. Stir in blueberries and lemon juice. Gently turn berries until they are well mixed with the flour mixture.
• To assemble:
• On a floured surface, roll half the dough to cover the bottom and sides of a 10×14 inch rimmed baking sheet and have a one inch overhang. Pour berry filling on top of crust. Taste a few of the berries. If more sweetness is desired, sprinkle a little sugar on top of the filling.
• Roll the remaining dough on a floured surface to approximately the same size. Cover the berries with the top dough. Fold the edges of the top crust under the bottom crust and tuck them inside the pan. Crimp the edges. Cut a few slits in the top for venting.
• Place in a 400 degree preheated oven and turn temperature down to 375. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is brown. Wrap the edges of the crust in aluminum foil is they brown too much before the filling gets bubbly.

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