“Homemade Fresh Blueberry Pie”

When the weather is stormy and rainy it’s time to bake. I was thinking about my Mom recently. She would always bake when the weather was not conducive to being outside. I loved helping her in the kitchen and with all the fresh fruit available it was time to make one of her fruit pies. How about Homemade Fresh Blueberry Pie? Blueberries are sweeter this year than I can remember in years past. My blueberry pie filling is made with fresh blueberries, cornstarch for thickening, sugar, salt, lemon juice and my Mom’s secret ingredient, nutmeg. Mom added ground nutmeg to all her fruit pies. Just a hint of warm spice is nice no matter the season. My filling is not super thick as I like a little juice when I top a slice with ice cream or whipped cream. You can make your own pie crust from scratch as my Mom did or use a ready-made brand of your choice. This a two crust pie which allows you to decorate the top as you wish by using dough cutouts or lattice the top. Be creative…that’s the fun of baking and getting your kids involved, too. Try my Homemade Fresh Blueberry Pie. This pie will cure your sweet craving for the weekend.

Homemade Fresh Blueberry Pie

Homemade Fresh Blueberry Pie

2 – 11 oz. (4 cups) containers fresh blueberries, rinsed

4 T. cornstarch

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter, divided

1 egg white

1 T. water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare homemade or ready-made pie crust for a two-crust 9-inch pie; Press one crust in pie plate and set aside.

For blueberry filling: In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries and cornstarch. Add sugar, salt, nutmeg, lemon juice and 1/2 cup water. Place saucepan over medium heat. Cook until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Add in butter and stir until melted; remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

Pour blueberry filling into prepared bottom crust. Cover with top crust. Fold and crimp edges of pie using your thumb and index finger; trim if needed. With a sharp knife, cut slits in top of crust so pie can vent while baking.

Beat together egg white and 1 T. water. Using a pastry brush, coat top of pie with egg wash.

Place in oven and bake for 40 – 45 minutes. Depending on your oven, check to make sure the pie is not browning to fast. If so, place foil around edges of pie to keep from burning and continue baking.

Remove pie from oven to cooling rack and let cool for 2 – 3 hours before cutting. The pie will continue to thicken and set while cooling.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.