Fourth of July Pie!

There’s nothing more American than pie. Except maybe this Blueberry-Rhubarb from Teeny’s Tour of Pie that is made to look like the American Flag! Try out this delicious recipe for your Fourth of July party– even Oprah will be impressed!

Bluebarb pie was a happy accident. I had an abundance of rhubarb in the refrigerator but the farmers’market strawberries were on their last legs. I scanned the market stalls, hoping for inspiration, and the first blueberries of the season were looking particularly gorgeous. I took a chance on the new combination, and the result was outstanding! I’m not the biggest fan of baked blueberries because of how sweet they tend to get, but the rhubarb with its inherent tartness turned out to be the ideal counterpart. It’s always a crowd pleaser because while most people have had strawberry rhubarb pie, they likely haven’t experienced the wonder that is bluebarb. I like to use a double crust for this stunning pie, but I often use the top curst dough to make fun curst cookies that I place on top of the baked, cooled pie.

Ingredients (Makes one 9-inch double-crust pie (6 to 8 slices):

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat or whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

¾ cups (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) cold vegetable shortening

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) cold vodka

½ cup (8 tablespoons) cold water, plus extra as needed

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and sugar until everything is thoroughly combined. Add the butter and shortening and cut the mixture together using a pastry cutter until it forms small pea-size crumbs coated in flour.
2. Pour the vodka evenly over the dry ingredients, a few tablespoons at a time, using a rubber spatula to press the dough together. Similarly, add the water, and continue to press the dough together to form a large ball. The dough should be fairly wet and sticky; if for some reason it seems particularly dry, add a little extra ice water a tablespoon at a time until everything comes together easily. (Be careful to work the dough as little as possible; otherwise the crust may be tough).
3. Divide the dough into two equal balls, press each into a disk, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 2 days before rolling out.

Pie Filling Ingredients:

4 cups fresh blueberries

2 to 3 stalks rhubarb dice (½ -inch pieces to equal 1½ cups)

½ cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

2 disks dough from Whole Wheat Curst (recipe follows)

Up to ¼ cup all-purpose flour, for rolling out the crust

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F with a rack in the middle position.
2. Place the blueberries and rhubarb in a medium bowl and toss together to combine.
3. Stir together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the fruit and toss gently to coat. Set aside; the fruit will begin to juice.
4. Prepare the bottom crust: Place one disk of the dough on a floured work surface and with a floured rolling pin roll it into a rough 11-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Lay the crust into a 9-inch pie dish, gently press it in, and trim any excess dough from the edge with a paring knife, being sure to leave a 3/4-inch overhang.
5. Set the lined pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Give the fruit a quick stir, then pour the filling into the crust.
6. Prepare the top crust: On a floured work surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out the remaining dough disk into a rough 11-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully lay the crust on top of the filling, and trim an excess dough from the edge, leaving a 3/4–inch overhang. Tuck the overhanging dough under the edge of the bottom crust, and crimp the two crusts together. Cut a few small slits in the top crust with a sharp knife.
7. Place the pie, on the baking sheet, in the oven and bake until the filling is thickly bubbling and the crust is golden brown (cover the crimp with foil if it beings to brown too quickly), 45 to 55 minutes.