Blackberry Pie

When I was in high school my best friend Reanne's, mum made the best pies! Generally, she seemed to cook more pies when her brothers came to visit (they were older and had already left home). So obviously I would go and stay at their place when they were around, also I wanted to hang out with Reanne :) For a while, I think her mum thought I had a crush on one of the brothers, but then quickly realised it was the pie! Last summer I was able to go back to Canada for a visit Reanne, while she was staying with her family, and her mom taught me how to make pie! I made this pie a few weeks after I left, I  even handpicked the blackberries for it!

 Serve pie with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Bake at 15 minutes at 220°C (450°F) then turn down to 180°C (350°F) and bake for an additional  45 minutes.
(Place baking try under pie plate to avoid a mess in the oven)... I didn't do that oops

Crust
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
4 Tablespoons cold water

1. Mix flour and salt together
2. Cut butter and shortening into flour with a pastry cutter
4. Add cold water and form 2 balls.
5. Refrigerate for 1/2 an hour

rolling out pastry between baking paper

Filling 
4-5 cups blackberries
1/2 to 1 cup sugar (depending on tartness ok blackberries)
1/4 cup flour
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter (chopped in small pieces)

1. Mix flour, sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and cinnamon together.
2. Gently toss blackberries in the sugar mixture. (add more sugar if desired)


Assembly
1. Roll out rounds of pastry so that the pastry will fit over the pie dish.
2. Grease pie dish, and drape 1 layer of pastry over the dish.
3. Add blackberries, and scatter butter over blackberries.
4. Drape the other round of pastry over top, cut around the edge and discard extra pastry.
5. Pinch top and bottom layer of pastry together around the edge.
6. With fork or knife create steam holes in the top.

blackberry pie just out of the oven

slice of pie with freshly wiped cream