Liz Schillinger's Shenandoah Berry Pie
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound (1 cup) lard
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups blueberries and sliced strawberries (any mixture you like)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- Place a marble pastry slab and marble rolling pin in the freezer until very cold, at least 4 hours.
- To make the pie dough, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt together.
- Place the lard in a glass measuring cup and microwave on high until almost but not completely melted, about 1 minute.
- Remove from microwave and stir until completely melted.
- Pour into 1-cup measuring cup and then remove 2 tablespoons of the lard.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water and mix; you should have exactly 1 cup liquid.
- Stir liquid into flour with a wooden spoon for a few seconds until the dough holds together.
- Remove the slab and pin from freezer.
- Flour the slab lightly.
- Place a cloth cover on the marble rolling pin and flour lightly.
- Working quickly, roll the dough out to a thickness of between 1/8 and 1 1/816 inch.
- If the dough is sticky and doesn't roll smoothly, it may be too warm; pop the whole thing (slab and dough) back in the freezer for a few minutes to chill it before working it again.
- If the dough is too stiff and begins to crack and shatter, it is too cold; walk away for a few minutes and then try working it again.
- Use your fingers to press together any cracks or fix any holes in the dough.
- Invert a 9-inch pie plate onto one side of the dough.
- Using a paring knife, cut a circle around it, making the circle 1/2 inch larger in diameter than the plate.
- Using 2 spatulas, loosen the dough from the slab; it should be very stiff and come up easily in one piece.
- (If it sags or sticks, pop the whole thing back in the freezer for a few minutes.)
- Lift the dough with the spatulas and center it over the pie plate.
- Let it sit on the plate until it warms up and sags into the plate.
- (Don't worry if it has some cracks.)
- Press the edges in gently with your fingers and fix any tears by pressing the dough together.
- Crimp the edges.
- Cut small basset-hound shapes, or any decorations you like, from the remaining dough.
- Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- To make the filling, in a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, zest and salt.
- Add the fruit and toss to combine.
- Add the lemon juice and butter and toss again.
- Scrape into the prepared crust and lay your decorations over the top.
- Bake until the crust is browned and the fruit is bubbling, about 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
flour, salt, lard, sugar, flour, freshly grated lemon zest, salt, blueberries, lemon juice, butter
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6426 (may not work)