To make a quick and easy blueberry pie, a pre-made crust can be used. Cooks who prefer to use a homemade crust can make one with flour, shortening, sugar, and water. Canned blueberry filling may be used, but blueberry pie filling can also be made from blueberries, sugar, water, and some type of thickener, such as cornstarch. Once the filling is poured into the bottom crust, it can be topped with either a top crust or a crumb topping.
A crumb crust or a traditional crust can be used to make a blueberry pie, depending on a person's preferences. Graham cracker crusts are popular, for example, and these can be purchased pre-made in aluminum tins. Uncooked traditional crusts can also be found in the refrigerator or freezer sections of most supermarkets.
Making pie crust can be quite simple. To start making a basic blueberry pie crust, butter or shortening is blended with flour and sugar. Cold water is then added to the mixture, until a dough forms. This dough is then chilled before being flattened with a rolling pin and placed in a pie pan.
For a very easy blueberry pie, canned blueberries can be used. Frozen blueberries can also be used, but these should be unsweetened. Fresh blueberries are typically available during the summer, and these can either be picked from a blueberry bush, or purchased from a supermarket or farmer's market.
Selecting fresh blueberries that are ripe and healthy is very important when making this type of fruit pie. The berries should not be very soft or mushy. They should also not be leaking blue or purple juice, nor should they have any mold on them. Before making the filling for a blueberry pie, the fresh berries should be rinsed thoroughly. While they are rinsed, any stems or leaves should be removed, along with any damaged or soft berries.
To make blueberry pie filling, the blueberries should first be mixed with sugar. The amount of sugar used will usually depend on how sweet a person wants to make the pie. Juice or water is then mixed in with the berries and sugar. Cornstarch or tapioca is also usually added to make the liquid thicker as it cooks.
Some cooks may prefer to make a crumb topping from brown sugar, butter, and flour. A extra pie crust can also be used. The top crust and the bottom crust should be pinched together so they seal. Slits should also be cut into a top pie crust to allow steam to escape while the pie is cooking.
Before the blueberry pie is baked, a strip of foil can be used to cover the edges of the crust. This will prevent the edges from becoming overcooked before the rest of the pie is done. After the pie is done baking — usually around 30 to 45 minutes — it should cool before it is sliced. This will allow the filling to set so it is not so runny.
