Fresh Blueberry Filling
Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut the butter into half-inch cubes. Cut half the cubes into the flour with fingertips or food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the rest of the butter. If making by hand, mix in with a pastry cutter in a bowl until the size of peas. If using a food processor, briefly pulse 10 times and then place mixture into a bowl.
Squirt a bit of lemon juice into the ice water and add it to the flour gradually, tossing quickly with a fork until a bit of pastry squeezed in your hand holds together. (All flours absorb liquids differently, so you may need a bit more or less water.) Dump the loose pastry onto a lightly floured board or counter. Using the French technique known as fraisage, smear small sections of the dough forward with the heel of the hand. Do this quickly so that the butter does not melt. Form dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (overnight is ideal).
When ready to make your pie, lightly flour your work surface and unwrap one disk. Roll out from the middle of the disk toward the edge and turn the disk a quarter turn every other time. Check under the dough to be sure that it’s not sticking, adding more flour to the work surface if necessary. Roll the disk out into a circle large enough to overlap the edges of a 10-inch shallow pie pan. Fold the dough over the rolling pin and gently lay it out into the pie plate. Trim the overhang to about 3/4-inch. Place filling into the crust-lined pie plate.
Roll the other disk out in the same way to make the lattice top crust. Cut your rolled dough into 16 strips, more or less. Lay half the strips parallel over the filling. Starting in the middle, lift up every other strip and then lay a strip down crosswise over remaining strips. Continue to weave both sides of the pie in this manner. Fold edges of strips under bottom crust and then crimp decoratively using either your fingers or a fork. Brush the lattice with half-and-half and then top with sugar, being sure not to get any on the crimped edges. Refrigerate the pie about 30 minutes.
Place a piece of foil on the oven floor in case the pie bubbles over. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the pie on the bottom third of the oven. After 15 minutes, turn the heat down to 375°F. Bake until the pie bubbles all the way through, about 30 more minutes. Cover crust lightly with foil if it’s browning too quickly. Let it cool for about four hours before slicing.
*Baker’s Note: Extra dough can be rolled out, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, cut into strips, and baked for sweet nibbles.
To make a “blapple pie,” substitute two cups of peeled, quartered, and sliced tart apples for two cups of berries.
Fresh Blueberry Filling
Combine the berries, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix the sugar and cornstarch and add to the berries.
