Blackberry apple pie

March 12, 2008

Makes one 9-inch pie

Blackberries grow wild all over Ireland, and every summer when we go home to visit Matty's family, we love to pick berries along the road. There are so many, there's always a surplus to put in the freezer, which means one thing: blackberry pie all winter long. Apples help thicken the filling. Here, we use frozen blackberries, which are loaded with water, so we add quick-cooking tapioca to prevent a runny pie.

2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/3 cup cold water Extra flour (for sprinkling) 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 pounds frozen blackberries, thawed and drained well 2 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced 3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca 1. In an electric mixer combine the flour, salt, and butter. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute, or until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the water and mix until just combined and the dough starts to come together. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in foil; refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Have on hand a 9-inch pie pan.

3. On a well-floured surface, roll 1 piece of dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Lift the dough onto the rolling pin and ease it into the pie pan. Press the dough in to fit, letting the excess hang over the sides. Brush the rim of the dough with egg.

4. In a medium bowl combine the blackberries, apples, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and tapioca; mix well. Pour into the pie shell.

5. On a well-floured surface, roll the other piece of dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Lift the dough onto the rolling pin and lay it over the fruit. Press the edges to seal them. Trim excess dough, and crimp the edges all around.

6. Bake the pie for 1 hour, or until golden brown. Remove it from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Set the pie on a wire rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Keri Fisher and Matty Murphy