My brand new kitchen toy…

On weekends, I like to take the time and make something really luxurious for dinner. I think it has something to do with the relief that the weekend’s here and I don’t have to rush home from my day job and get dinner on the table at record speed. The weekend is the time I can relax and really enjoy my adventures in the kitchen.

This Saturday was no exception; unfortunately J. and I had errands to run at the local mall and I thought that might cut into my culinary endeavors. Well three hours later we were home with our errands done and a bright, shiny, and brand new food processor! I felt like I just won the lottery…like I was a kid going to Disneyland for the first…like I was a lost puppy who somehow found my way home hundreds of miles away, suffice it to say I was a happy camper. I already own a rather loud and rather small (4-cup capacity) food processor that I bought years ago but it really couldn’t hold up to major jobs like dough making and large batches of pesto, but who could blame me, I was a college student looking for a cheap buy. Well now I had a brand new toy to play with…a 12-cup multi-use KitchenAid beauty. I wanted to use it immediately, but what would I make? Its maiden voyage should be something notable and delicious. With a little more pondering I decided what would be more delicious than pie!

After a quick shopping trip to the nearby market, J. and I picked up raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries for a mixed berry pie along with a steak and fixings for a scrumptious at home steak dinner (look for that in the next post!).

I’ve always been intimidated by dough making, there are so many different techniques and so many variables that could lead to tough, not-so-tasty pie dough but I use one that’s goof proof!

Triple-berry Pie:

Ingredients

Dough –

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter (cut into 1 inch cubes)

*I know everyone says to use unsalted butter because you can control the seasoning in a dish but I like the way salted butter tastes...it gives the dough a great dimension of flavor!

1/2 ice cold water

Filling –

6 cups mixed berries, washed and dried well

(I like the combo of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries but you can use any mixture you like)

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

zest of one lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Egg wash –

One large egg

1 tablespoon water

Making the dough:

Before I start I like to fill a Pyrex 2-cup measuring cup with ice and water to make sure the water gets really, really cold. Then I cut my butter into 1-inch cubes and set them in the freezer while I get the rest of the ingredients together.

Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Once everything is measured and ready take the butter out of the freezer and sprinkle the cubes in the food processor bowl. Pulse the mixture until the butter looks about the size of peas (anywhere between 2 and 5, 2 second pulses). Drizzle 1/2 cup of the ice-cold water (without the ice please) in the processor while you pulse. The dough is ready when it just comes together (about 3 pulses).

Divide the dough into two disks (this will make it easier to rollout), wrap them in saran wrap, and refrigerate them for at least two hours or over night if you’re making it ahead.

Assembling the pie:

Two hours later –

Preheat over to 425 degrees F; stick a sheet pan in the oven while the oven’s pre-heating.

Have a small cup of flour at hand when you’re ready to roll out the dough. Grab one of the dough disks from the refrigerator, unwrap the delicious little parcel from the plastic and set on a floured flat surface. Sprinkle a little flour on the top of the dough and using a rolling pin, roll out the dough in one fluid motion going away from you, then (using a bench scraper if needed) peel the dough from the surface, flip on it’s opposite side and turn 90 degrees. This will ensure the dough is even on all sides and it doesn’t stick to the work surface. Repeat, using more flour if dough starts to stick, until dough is approximately 10 inches in diameter.

Transfer rolled out dough disk to a 9 inch pie plate by rolling the dough onto the rolling pin, moving it over the pie plate, and rolling it off of the rolling pin and into the pie plate. Gently lift the sides and make sure the dough is flat on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Stick the pie plate in the refrigerator while you repeat the process with the second disk, this time when you’re done rolling out the dough, transfer it to a parchment paper lined sheet pan and stick it back in the fridge.

While the pieces of dough are chilling in the fridge, make the fruit filling. Mix all the filling ingredients together thoroughly, that’s all! Now take the dough out, pour the berries into the dough lined pie plate and carefully transfer the second piece of dough over it. Trim the edges so about 1/2 inch hangs over the pie plate. Crimp the edges by either using a fork or by pinching the dough with your thumb and forefinger.

Some folks get fancy with their pies, like creating a lattice pattern on top. I simply make about four slits in the middle of the pie to let the steam escape as the pie is cooking (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT). Now make the egg wash by combining a beaten egg with a tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash all over the top of the pie so it’ll come out golden brown.

Baking the pie:

Set the assembled pie gently in the middle of the preheated baking pan, bake for 20 minutes at 425 F. When the 20 minutes is up, rotate the pie for even cooking and lower oven heat to 350 F. Bake for another 30 – 40 minutes, take it out of the oven when it’s golden brown. Let rest for at least 45 minutes, on a wire rack, before diving in!

In the immortal words of Scarlett O’Hara…”as God is my witness, I’ll never go hungry again, because I have pie!” Okay, okay I made the last part up but if she had the opportunity to make a pie that easy…I’m positive she’d have said it that way instead!