Gashed & Slashed Blueberry Pie

Pie is essentially a deliciously jelly sandwich. Two delicious buttery crusts (bread) with a generous helping of fruit filling (jelly) in between. It is the most delicious thing you can put in your mouth. My favorite pie is Blueberry Pie. It's the perfect balance of sweet and tart, plus the color is a rich purply blue. It's a piece of art.

Now you're probably wondering why I call this pie Gashed & Slashed Blueberry Pie. Let me example, I like scary movies. I'm a big fan! I especially enjoy the classics, Haunted House On a Hill (the original, with Vincent Price), Bad Seed, Beetlejuice and  anything Hitchcock ever made and so on.  So when I curl up and watch one the many classic and modern day horror films; pie is a wonderful comfort food. Now you know how much I love themes, so I figured I change the look of the pie, ever so slightly so that it will pair with any horror flick. Now a pie needs slits to release the air in the pie so it doesn't explode. I thought why not make some slits long, jagged or off center so when the juices bubbled up it'd look like the pie has been gashed, slashed and bleeding. Yes, I am aware of how it sounds and why in the world would be I be thinking this but what can I say, this is how my mind works. :)  If you don't want to gash or slash your pie, you don't have to, make slits like regular and you will have yourself a delightful piece of pie.

Buen Provecho!

Make the crust. Add 2 1/4 cups of flour in a food processor.

Sugar 2-3 Tbsp

1/4 tsp salt

2 sticks of very very cold butter. In fact I used frozen butter. Cut it into big cubes.

Pulse until you get a sand consistency.

Once you have "sand" turn processor on and let it run while you pour iced water through tunnel. One TBSP at a time until you see.....

this. The dough will ball up. Take out and mold together.

Divide into 2 equal balls and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. You can totally make this dough ahead of time and put it in the fridge for a few days.

Put 24 oz of blueberries (i use frozen) into a medium pot, medium heat.

Add 1/2 cup sugar (you can add sugar later if you like)

Zest of 1 lemon

A pinch of salt. Always need a bit of salt with sweet.

Cook until blueberries burst.

Make a slurry. 1Tbsp cornstarch & 2 Tbsp water.

Add to blueberries and bring to a boil.

Let the mixture thicken and stir to avoid sticking on the bottom.

This is the consistency you want. When you run you finger across the spoon and nothing moves. BE CAREFUL THE BLUEBERRY FILLING WILL BE HOT!! At this point feel free to add more sugar if you like.

Roll out dough according to the size of your dish and place in dish.

Slowly pour in your lovely blueberry filling. Then top with second crust

Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Then make the slits.

Bake for 30-45 minutes until golden brown.

Gashes and slashes and juice oozing out, that's what you want!

Enjoy with your favorite horror flick!

Gashed & Slashed Blueberry Pie

Pie Crust:
2 1/4 cups Flour
2-4 tbsp Sugar, desired sweetness
1/4 tsp salt
2 stick of butter, cut into cubes and chilled

4-6 Tbsp Water, iced
1 egg, whisk (egg wash) 

Blueberry Filling:
24 oz of frozen or fresh blueberries
1/2 - 1 cup Sugar, desired sweetness
pinch of salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1-2 Tbsp Water


Road Map:

1. Make Pie Crusts: Into a food processor place flour, sugar, salt and butter. Process until it looks like fine sand. Continue to run processor and the through the tunnel on top add 1Tbsp of iced water at the time until the dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. 

2. Preheat oven 400 F. While dough is resting and chilling make the filling. In a medium pan on medium heat add blueberries, sugar (add 1/2 cup first then adjust if you want it sweeter), salt and lemon zest. Stir to combine, cook until blueberries burst open. Stir occasionally to ensure that the filling doesn't stick to the pan.

3. Make a slurry. In a cup add 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1-2 Tbsp of water, combine until well mixed. Slowly pour slurry in blueberry mixture, allow it to come to a boil, the mixture will thicken. Lower the heat and allow it to simmer until you get your desired consistency. At this point feel free to adjust the sugar if you like. Set aside.

4. Roll out dough: lightly flour your surface. Take 1 dough ball and roll out, according to your pie dish. Carefully place dough in dish. Slowly pour blueberry mixture into dough and set aside. Roll out second dough to desired size and top the pie. Crimp the edges. Brush pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Then make the menacing slits, long, jagged and/or off center. 

5. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool and enjoy!