Rustic Blackberry Pie with Butter Crust

No pie plate. No measuring cup. No rolling pin. No lard.
No problem.
 
The blackberries are ripe and looking at them growing up the side of the hill, brings back fond memories of Auntie Fran making blackberry pie at “camp.” Her pie was uncooked with a cream cheese base. Unfortunately I don’t have her recipe.
After some though, I decide to go the “rustic” route where you don't need a pie plate or top crust. It’s based on those delicious peach galettes you get at Terra Breads in Granville Island Market. I think in Italy, they call them crostadas.

I get the ladder out, put on long sleeves and fill a bowl with minimal bloodshed from those prickly goshdarn vines.  Here’s what happened next.


Pie Crust

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, chilled and grated and chilled again
1/4 cup ice water (approx)

Combine flour and salt.
Grate butter into flour in a mixing bowl until mixture resembles crumbs. (or cut butter into flour with a pastry cutter)

Add the water a little at a time, making sure not to get it too wet and working it together with a fork.Try to handle as little as possible.

The amount of water to add to pastry is variable. You’d use a different amount depending on if you were in a rainforest or a desert. Start with a couple of tablespoons, adding in more a little at a time. Gently mix it together adding so it forms into a clump.

Don’t overwork the dough.

Roll out 12 inch circle on flat surface, sprinkled with flour. Transfer to baking sheet.

*Tip freeze butter and then grate it. Then freeze the grated butter before using.


Pie Filling & Baking

4-5 cups blackberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour

Combine berries with sugar and flour - gently stirring in. Make sure it’s mixed in so there’s no whiteness visible.
Spoon into pie crust round.
Mound berries in centre, leaving 1-1/2 inches uncovered at edges.
Fold dough up and over.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake another 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden  brown

Grate butter then stick it back in the freezer to get good and cold.

I also had some prune plums that needed to be used.  Rinse the blackberries well, being careful not to crush them.

Combine flour and butter until it looks like coarse meal.

No measuring cups. But I feel like the Ikea kids' cup holds a cup.

Make sure to put flour on counter and on rolling surface so nothing sticks. Use a spatula to gently lift the pastry dough.
A wine bottle makes an acceptable rolling pin substitute.

Decided to use a pizza pan, sprayed with something like Pam.

Mix in the sugar and flour with the berries.

I made an outside ring from the plums which looked kind of pretty. Then I mounded the berries in the centre.

Fold the edges up and over.

Looks good. But note that there was leakage. Make sure you use a pan that will catch the runoff or you'll end up with a big mess in the oven.