Logging Road Blackberry Apple Pie

When the early apples are ready, we still have lots of blackberries drooping from the canes along the pathways on the farm. So we were happy to find a way to bring the two fruits together in a colorful pie. This recipe comes from Apple Pie by Ken Haedrich.

(Serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

  • 1 double pie crust of your choice (refrigerated)

  • 3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs sugar

  • 2 Tbs lemon juice

  • 6 cups pie apples, cored and sliced

  • 2 1/2 – 3 Tbs cornstarch

  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

  2. Prepare the crust, and refrigerate it till it is firm enough to roll. Roll out the bottom crust, and gently place it in a 9-inch, deep-dish pie pan. Put it back in the refrigerator.

  3. Place the blackberries in a large bowl, and add 1/2 cup sugar and the lemon juice. Crush the berries with a a potato masher until they are well mashed but still have a bit of texture.

  4. Add the apples to the crushed berries, and toss well. Mix the remaining 2 Tbs of sugar with the cornstarch; add the larger amount of cornstarch if you are going to be eating the pie while it is warm. Add the cornstarch and sugar and the nutmeg to the fruit, and mix till it is evenly distributed.

  5. Turn the filling into the pie shell, and smooth the top. Lightly moisten the rim of the pie shell.

  6. Roll out the remaining half of the dough, and cover the filling. Press the two crusts together along the edges. Trim the edges, leaving 1/2 inch of dough around the edge of the pie pan. Use this to sculpt the edges. Cut several vent holes in the crust, including a few near the outside edge so that you can check the juices as it cooks.

  7. If you wish to glaze the pie, brush the top with a little milk, and sprinkle on some sugar.

  8. Put the pie on the center oven rack, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and place the pie on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees, and place the pie back in the oven. Bake 35-40 minutes more, until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbling through the steam vents.

  9. Transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.