Blueberry & Pineapple Pie

My dad has been hinting (not-so-subtly) that I should make a blueberry pie - his favorite! While my other pies have been good, nothing compares to a blueberry pie... etc, etc.

If you know my dad, then you know that he has this funny, endearing way of asking for things (repeatedly, if necessary) that makes you think that (fill in the blank) is the best thing in the whole world, so you have to make it for him, or let him have the last piece, or make a special trip to the store just for that item. How could you say no? When it's his favorite. And people fall for this routine all of the time. If he's reading this, he's saying, "Who me?!" Yes you, Dad!

Even though it's not blueberry season, my mom and I found fresh blueberries at the store and, like a good daughter, I had to do it. Yep, one spoiled Dad coming right up!

At the same store I found a deliciously-sweet smelling pineapple that I couldn't resist. Later that night while I was preparing the pie, the pineapple was sitting on the counter trying to get my attention. Then it fell over for no particular reason. I stopped what I was doing and picked it up. While holding the pineapple in my hand inspiration struck!

What if I added fresh pineapple to the blueberry pie? The worst case scenario is that the pie doesn't turn out and I'd have to make another blueberry pie for Dad. It's worth a try!

Make the pie crust dough and refrigerate.

Filling
2 1/2 Tbs cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, about the same size as the blueberries
1 Tbs of fresh pineapple juice or lime juice

Mix the cornstarch and the sugar. Add the berries and stir to coat. Stir in the pineapple and pineapple juice and let stand for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roll out the pie dough and make the top and bottom crusts. Fill the pie. Add the top crust and brush with an egg white beaten with a little water.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes. The pie will be bubbly and golden brown.

Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with your favorite (non-dairy) ice cream.

Dad's Verdict: he liked it as much, if not better, than the plain blueberry pie. Ahh, the sweet taste of success!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Grandma used to make the best strawberry-rhubarb pie! To this day it is still my favorite pie, but for some reason it never turns out quite the same when I make it. I assumed it was Grandma's home-grown rhubarb, or maybe her years and years of experience, or maybe just her love that made her pies taste better.

Then recently my friend loaned me her copy of the Complete Book of Pastry Sweet & Savory, by Bernard Clayton, Jr.  So far everything I've made out of the book has been delicious. Then I found the strawberry-rhubarb pie recipe and couldn't resist. As long as you make a dairy-free crust, the pie all good!

I tried the pie crust the book recommended for this pie, but the non-dairy version just didn't turn out well. (The lard and butter version was excellent, of course!)

Start by preparing the non-dairy, double-crust pie crust recipe of your choice.

Filling
1-1/2 pounds (4 cups) fresh rhubarb
1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tsp grated orange peel or zest
2 Tbs quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 tsp salt

Cut the rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces and the strawberries in quarters (or halves depending on the size).

In a bowl combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, OJ, zest, tapioca, and salt. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the bottom crust for the pie. Then pour the filling into the pie shell, filling it higher in the middle than on the sides.

Roll out the remaining pie crust dough to make the top crust. You can make a lattice design, or just use a solid crust with slits. The pastry book had excellent instructions for making the lattice crust, and I was feeling brave so I gave it a try.

Wet the edges of the pie crusts to secure the top to the bottom. Then using your fingers, crimp or twist the edges to make it look pretty. It's ok if the crimped edges of the pie crust are thicker than the rest of the pie.

Before you bake the pie, the book says to sprinkle with 2 Tbs granulated sugar. I like to beat 1 egg white with a little water and brush over the top crust.

Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.
Then reduce temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking for 35-40 minutes. The crust will be golden and flakey, and the juices from the filling should be bubbling up through the top crust. If the edges of the pie brown before the rest of the pie is done, cover only the edges with aluminium foil.

Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. This is the hardest part for me, but the filling will remain runny until completely cooled. If you don't mind a runny pie, dig in!

It may not be quite as good as Grandma's, but now it's my second favorite pie!