Triple Berry Pie

There may be nothing better than a fresh slice of warm berry pie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on an August night. Except, perhaps, cooled-down leftover berry pie the next afternoon. Made with fresh, local berries, this pie was a treat for the eyes and the tastebuds of everyone I shared it with.

Pie Crust:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup ice water

Recipe:

1. Cut butter into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the better. If necessary, place into the freezer to cool again before using. The colder the butter, the better.
2. Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar to combine.
3. Add butter, pulsing to combine.
4. Add 1/4 cup of ice water in a steady stream, continuing to mix. If necessary, add more ice water, no more than 1/2 cup.
5. Knead slightly with fingers to create a thick dough. Roll into a flat disk.
6. Cut in half and roll again to make two flat disks. Wrap each separately and chill for a minimum of one hour.
7. Take one disk and roll out into a 12-inch disk. Place this on your pie tin and trim the edges as necessary.
8. Use the remaining disk to create your decorative pieces. You may choose to create a floral and vine design, like I did, cut simple strips to create a lattice, or do a combination of designs. Use cookie cutters or a butter knife to cut your design. Chill these elements while creating the pie filling.

Triple Berry Pie Filling:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 2/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 egg white
• 1 Tablespoon milk

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Prepare berries by washing and removing stems. Dry thoroughly.
3. In a large mixing bowl, toss berries to mix. Be gentle, so as not to break-up the berries too much.
4. Slowly add sugar, stirring gently to combine.
5. Stir in flour and lemon juice. This will create a thick paste around the berries.
6. Mix together egg white and milk. Use a pastry brush to spread this mixture to the bottom of the pie shell.
7. Pour filling gently into assembled pie crust.
8. If decorating the top, use a pastry brush to spread the egg white and milk mixture onto pieces to act as a glue keeping the pieces together.
9. Bake assembled pie for 35 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Use a pie crust shield, if necessary, to prevent the outer edges from burning.