Wild Blackberry Pie

As promised, the wild berry pie. We collected almost ten cups of wild Crofton blackberries that day and still, there was plenty left on the bushes for every person and animal in the town!

Extra-Easy Whole-Grain Pie Crust

from Clean Eating Magazine

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour, plus additional for work surface

1 tsp sucanat (brown or panela sugar are good substitutes)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp safflower oil

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Nut Variation: substitue 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour for 1/4 cup ground nuts (almonds, peanuts, pistachios).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sucanat, salt and baking powder. Pulse dry ingredients several times to mix thouroughly. If using nuts, add them to the processor first and ground well. (No food processor? Use elbow grease).

2. In a spouted measuring cup, whisk together milk, egg yolk, oil and vinegar. With the processor running, slowly pour liquid ingredients through the food chute into the dry ingredients. Process just enough to combine ingredients. (The mixture will be partially crumbly, but will sitck together when squeezed).

3. Dump dough out onto a well-floured surface. Squeeze dough together into a singular mound and pat it down into a disc, about 1/2-inch think. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out until 12inches in diameter. Set rolling pin at bottom edge of dough and gently roll dough onto the pin, so that dough drapes over pin. Transfer dough to a 9-inch ceramic pie dish. Gently press dough into the edges of the dish and up the sides. Fold excess dough under and pinch, creating a roughly 1/2-inch rim. Using your fingers, or with the tines of a fork, crimp entire rim. Poke dough all over with a fork to create steam holes.

4. Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes until edges and centre are just golden. Remove dish from oven and cool completely before using.

Blackberry Pie

modified from Clean Eating Magazine

5 cups blackberries

2 Tbsp sucanat

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp arrowroot

1 baked pie crust

1 tsp lemon zest

1 cup greek yogurt

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, combine 4 cups blackberries, 1/3 water, sucanat and lemon juice. Bring liquid to a boil and cover pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer fruit for 15minutes, until berries have broken apart into the liquid.

2. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together arrowroot and 1/3 cup water. Whisk well to eliminate any lumps. Once fruit has simmered for 15minutes, pour arrowroot mixture into pan and stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring liquid to a boil. Let boil for 2minutes, until liquid thickens.

3. Transfer fruit-arrowroot mixture to a large glass bowl and let cool slightly, about 15minutes. Gently stir in remaining 1 cup blackberries. Pour mixture into baked pie crust. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold and firmly set, a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight.

4. In a small bowl, combine lemon zest and yogurt. Drop mixture by heaping spoonfuls all over surface of pie. Spread across, leaving about 1-inch border, exposing fruit filling below. Slice and serve.

Enjoy!