The following recipe and comments are from my daughter, Nancy. She makes
this wonderful Blueberry Pie for her family and friends annual 4th of July camping trip. She uses the propane oven in her camping trailer.
This blueberry pie is so good that I think she should enter it in the Pillsbury Bake Off. What do you think?
Nancy says,
"Every
Fourth of July the blueberry bush hedge in the front of our home becomes the
envy of neighbors, raccoons, birds, and pedestrians on their daily walks.
Sometimes I get anxious and pick a few before the fourth, but traditionally
the best flavored berries are just a few days before. Our Fourth of July holiday takes us sand
camping with family and friends, and I always arrive with a gallon bag
stuffed full of the flavor bursting blueberries. Our menu includes,
blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins, and a special cast-iron blueberry
pie. One year I forgot to bring the pie tins and substituted my trusty cast
iron frying pan and found a rustic and delicious pie pan alternative."
Check out more great
Pie Recipes and more
Cast-Iron Cooking Recipes.
4th of July Bursting Blueberry Pie
Recipe Type:
Pies,
Pie Pastry,
Blueberries,
Cast-Iron Skillet
Yields: 8 servings
Prep time: 15 min
Bake time: 40 min
Ingredients:
Pre-made Pie Crust*
1 cup granulated
sugar
1/4 cup finely-ground almonds
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure almond flavoring
4 cups fresh
blueberries
Zest (rind) of 1 large
lemon, coarsely grated
Sugar (for sprinkling on top of pie
* I usually bring the pre-made rolled pie crusts to make it easy for me (found in your grocery store's refrigerator section).
If desired, make your own crust. (see Campers' Pie Crust recipe below).
Preparation:
Preheat your trailer's propane oven to 400 degrees F.
Prepare pre-made pie crust or Campers' Pie Crust (see below); set aside.
In a large bowl or pan, blend sugar, ground almonds, cinnamon, and almond flavoring together in a bowl.
Add blueberries and lemon rind; lightly blend and mash until sugar is well blended and mix is all blue.
Pour the blueberry mixture, spreading it evenly, over the prepared bottom pie crust.
Top with the second crust and pinch the two crust together to form a seal. Cut slits into the top crust to vent while cooking. Line the
outside edge of the pie crust with aluminum foil to avoid burning the crust.
Cook approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until the internal temperature registers approximately 175 degrees F. on your
cooking thermometer and the crust is nicely browned and the blueberries begin to bubble from the slits.
This
is the type of cooking thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking. I get many readers
asking what cooking thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the
Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. Originally designed for professional users, the
Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world.
Remove the foil from the outer edge of the crust, sprinkle top crust with some sugar,
and move the cast-iron pan to the bottom of the propane oven so the flame is above the pie. Brown the crust, watching it closely, for a few minutes.
Remove from oven and let pie cool completely before serving.
Campers' Pie Crust:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached
flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
5 to 7 teaspoons cold water
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Add vegetable shortening and cut into the dry
ingredients with two knives or pastry blender until you have small pea size bits and crumbs.
Sprinkle the cold
water over the flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, while stirring
gently until blended. Continue to add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time,
until the dough can be formed into a mass. Flour hands and shape the
dough into two even rounds. NOTE: Avoid overworking the dough with your hands.
With a floured rolling pin, roll out
the rounds on a floured board until both are slightly larger then the
cast-iron skillet.
Place the bottom crust in bottom of 10-inch cast iron frying pan, spreading it gently to cover the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
