I only had 4 apples left from the crate of apples I bought in the fall, so I dug through the freezer and grabbed a bag of blackberries I picked last summer to make sure I had enough filling. A search online gave me a pie crust recipe that didn't involve digging my food processor out of the back of the cupboard, and I got to work.
The pie was, unexpectedly, delicious. Probably the yummiest pie I've ever made! The real star of the show, though, was the crust. As my husband dug into his piece, he asked, "Where did you get the crust?" "Oh, I made it." "No, I know you made the pie, but where did you get the crust??" He thought I bought it. The crust is tender and flaky, and just a bit salty, to counteract the sweetness of the filling. This is a keeper!
Aunt LoLo's Apple Blackberry Pie
Makes one 9" pie
Crust: (recipe adapted from here)
Fill a measuring cup with ice and water. Set aside.
In a high powered blender, or food processor*, combine:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
Turn the blender on at the lowest speed (variable 1) and slowly increase to medium speed (variable 5). Blend for 10 seconds, then remove the plug from the middle of the lid.
With the blender running, drop in:
3/4 cup Crisco
Blend for 5 seconds.
Add:
5 Tbsp. ice water
Blend until just combined. This should not form a ball. You just want it all equally damp.
*If you are using a food processor, you should be pulsing at each step to combine.
Prepare your counter with two largish pieces of plastic wrap. Dump your damp dough onto one of the pieces and carefully knead it a few times until it makes a ball. Divide the ball in half, shape each half into a disc, and wrap them up their own pieces of plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Assembling the pie:
Preheat the oven to 425 and set aside a 9" pie dish.
Peel, core, and chop :
4 medium sized apples
In a large mixing bowl, combine:
Chopped apples
1 lb. frozen blackberries, thawed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
Stir to combine, and set aside.
Remove your wrapped pie crusts from the refrigerator. Flour your countertop, and unwrap one pie crust disc. Roll it out until it is 12" across, and carefully move into your pan. The easiest way is to carefully fold it in half over your hand, and then unfold it into the pan. Settle your crust into the pan, making sure you aren't stretching it at all. Trim it so that the top of the crust is about even with the edge of the pan. Fill the crust with your prepared fruit mixture, stirring it first in the bowl to make sure the corn starch is evenly distributed.
Unwrap the second crust and roll it out so it is approximately 10"-11" across. Drape it across your filled pie crust. Go around the edges of the pan, rolling the excess crust under and using your fingers to press it into a pretty shape. Use a sharp paring knife to poke about a dozen holes in the top crust. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired, or brush with milk or egg wash.
Place the pie on a cookie sheet, just in case it boils over, and bake it until the top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
