by CD Gozzi

Created on: January 01, 2009

Blueberries are touted as one of today's super foods as they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants. One cup of blueberries has 14 mg of Vitamin C and 0.8 mg of Vitamin E. They are also reputed to have anti-aging characteristics and can reduce the damage caused by some types of cancer. So why not put some of these potent blue powerhouses into a delightful dessert?

The hardest part of making any pie is the crust. This time-honored tradition can be daunting to one without sufficient practice. I came across a little secret from Cook's Illustrated and will share it with you in this recipe.

Pie Crust Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

1/4 cup cold vodka

1/4 cup cold water

In a large food processor place 1 1/2 cups flour, salt, and sugar and blend until well combined. Add the butter and shortening, and process until a uniform dough just starts to accumulate. The dough will look like cottage cheese curds and all the butter and shortening will be covered with the flour. Scrape the bowl and space the dough evenly around the processor blade. Add the rest of the flour and process until concoction is evenly spread around the bowl. Pout this into a medium chilled bowl.

Sprinkle the vodka and water over the dough mixture and blend with a rubber spatula. Make sure you use a folding technique to evenly distribute the liquid. The dough will become very sticky but keep folding until it all adheres together. Cut the dough in two and roll into 4-inch pieces. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate for at least an hour. Once it is sufficiently chilled, roll out to fit the 8 or 9-inch pie plate you have. Place this back into the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

The secret is the vodka in the dough. It prevents the formation of gluten and will evaporate during the baking process. The result will be a light and fluffy crust, perfect for this and any other pie.

Filling ingredients:

3 pints of blueberries, cleaned and stems removed

1 Granny Smith apple, finely grated

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

The secret to this filling is the addition of the apple. The natural pectin in the apple will thicken the juice formed from the cooked berries and sugar without having to add tapioca or flour.

Mix the blueberries, apple, cinnamon, lemon juice, and sugar and place in the chilled bottom crust of the pie pan. Spread the small butter pieces across the top. Roll out the remaining dough to the same size and thickness. Trim to fit the top of the pie and crimp the top and bottom dough pieces together. Cut 4-6 air vents in the top and return to the refrigerator. Heat the oven to 425 and bake the pie for 20 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 350 and allow the pie to continue to bake an additional 30-40 minutes.

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