That’s what Talk of the Town Producer, Amy, said when I gave her some cooking suggestions. It was a great choice. Blueberries are just starting to show up at the farmers’ markets, which means they quickly find their way to our house. We like to grow fruits and veggies in the little spots of sun our yard gets, but blueberries just aren’t happy here. Maybe the birds get them or maybe conditions just aren’t quite right. Now we just count on our good farmers’ markets for a blueberry fix. And I counted on Meryll Rose to know just what to do to help me yesterday on Channel 5. We compared pie-crimping methods and whipped up a Blueberry and Ginger Pie in no time at all. (Click to watch…)
I told her that years ago I went to a girl scout camp up on the plateau in Tennessee where tons of blueberries grew wild. They were smaller than what we have now at the grocery stores, but very sweet and delicious.
Our camp counselor, who was local to the area, called them rabbiteye berries, kind of a cute name or else really disgusting, depending on your frame of mind. Anyway, that began my life-long love affair with blueberries. Fortunately my family feels the same way because I use them in everything from salsa and salad to ice cream, bread, and even cocktails. And pie – let’s not forget pie.
This is such a simple pie to make for it to be so delicious. Even if you are on the fence about making your own piecrust, you should give this a shot. Five ingredients and the food processor does the work. The extra pinch of sugar makes it a standout! If you are a food processor snob or just don’t have one, mix it by hand. It takes longer, but real pie dough is just so good. If you remain unconvinced, then by all means buy a crust. It’s the ginger and blueberries that steal the show and it would be a shame to miss out on that lovely combination of flavors. Once you make this wonderful pie – you’ll be the one stealing the show. Take your bows and then take a bite! Enjoy!
Ingredients
Crust
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter, (½ cup) cut in small pieces
¼ cup half & half
(Substitute two pre-made piecrusts from the grocery store if time is an issue. Reserve one crust to crumble over the top of the pie.)
Filling
4 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
Juice of one lemon
2 tsp grated fresh ginger (or ½ tsp dried)
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
½ stick (1/4 cup) butter, cut in small pieces
1 Tbsp sugar for topping
Directions
For crust: Add 2 cups flour, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse once to mix. (or mix by hand)
Add butter and pulse (or cut in with a fork) until barely combined.
Add half & half one Tbsp at a time.
Pulse (or mix) to combine.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
Roll out piecrust dough to fit your pie pan on a floured surface, reserving about ½ cup of the crust for the crumbles on top.
For filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling, except reserved piecrust.
Pour the blueberry filling into crust.
Crumble reserved piecrust into a small bowl with 1 Tbsp sugar.
Roll small pieces in sugar and sprinkle on top of the pie.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until crust starts to lightly brown and filling is bubbly.
It’s good warm, but firms up nicely if you give it an hour or two in the fridge.
