Summertime is running through sprinklers and splashing in swimming pools. It’s catching fireflies at dusk. It’s long, lazy days and crackling campfires at night. It’s sunflowers and daisies and gardens overflowing with fresh produce. It’s farmer’s markets and pick-your-own berry patches. It’s fruity cocktails on rooftop bars. It’s ice cream cones and shaved ice and popsicles.
And pie.
Summertime is all about pie.
Pie overflowing with deliciously fresh, burst-in-your-mouth berries.
Specifically, this pie.
Because what says summer more than this red, white, and blue beauty?
And best of all, it’s two pies in one. So you don’t even have to choose between blueberry and strawberry. You can have both. Because it’s summer and I said so.
American Flag Pie
Active time: 45 minutes
Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 double-crust pie dough (recipe here)
5-6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
1-2 cups fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
large pinch of salt
heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 large egg, beaten
Granulated sugar (for topping the unbaked pie)
Directions
In a large bowl, mix strawberries with 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
In a smaller bowl, mix blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, combine sugars, cornstarch, salt, and ginger. Gently stir 1 cup of the mixture into the strawberries and the rest of the mixture into the blueberries. Let the mixtures rest for 10 minutes.
To assemble the pie
On a well-floured surface, roll the bottom crust 1/8″ thick and about 12″ in diameter. Transfer to pie pan. Trim the edge almost even with the edge of the pan.
Spoon strawberry filling into 3/4 of the pie pan; spoon blueberry filling into remaining quadrant. (I found that a folded piece of cardboard was helpful to keep the fillings separated. Just remove cardboard before topping and baking!)
On a well-floured surface, roll the top crust 1/8″ thick and about 12″ in diameter. Using a pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut several strips about 3/4″ wide across center of round.
Place filled crust in front of you with blueberry quadrant at the upper left. Lay the longest pastry strip across pie with 1 edge adjacent to bottom of blueberry quadrant, then evenly space remaining strips across pie parallel to first strip. Do not cover the blueberry quadrant with strips.
With a 1 1/2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter or sharp knife, cut stars from remaining pastry; arrange over blueberry filling.
Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Brush the beaten egg over the pie crust; sprinkle with sugar.
Place pie on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes; reduce temperature to 350°F and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.