The Need for Pie

Lately, the past couple weeks to be exact, I've been so busy that the idea of cooking sounded like a chore.  That doesn't happen to me often.  Usually I find solace and inspiration in cooking.  The satisfaction of combining ingredients together to make a delicious something brings a sense of accomplishment and happy satisfaction.  I could be in a not-so-great mood but after I've entered the cooking or baking process, I feel uplifted. 


So this weekend I felt the need for pie.  Peach and Blueberry Pie.


For the pie dough I used adapted a Pate Brisee recipe from Martha Stewart.


1 1/2 cups of flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp butter (cold, unsalted)
1/4 cup cold water


Combine flour, salt, sugar together.  Cut butter into small pieces and incorporate into the flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add ice water a little at a time until dough just comes together (not too dry and not wet).  You may not need all the water, and you may need a bit more.


Divide dough in half, shape each into a square, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days), or freeze for up to 1 month.


For filling:


1 bag frozen blueberries (thawed)
1 bag frozen peaces (thawed)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
cardamom to taste (approx. 2 tsp)


Combine ingredients together and let sit for a few minutes.


Assemble Pie


Pre-heat oven to 375 degree F.


Butter pie dish.  Roll out dough for bottom of the pie.  Transfer it to the pie dish and make sure the dough sits snug on the bottom of the dish and that there's ample dough covering the ledge of the dish.  Add fruit filling.  If there is a lot of juice, don't add all at once.  Gauge to make sure the fruit all fits and is not swimming in juice. Roll out dough for pie cover.  Transfer to to cover the pie and seal the edges.  Brush top with a bit of water and sprinkle with sugar.


Bake pie for 45 to 55 minutes.  Make sure the top is golden brown.


I bought a carton of Breyer's French Vanilla ice cream to make it an a la mode.  It was a delicious reward for having messed up the first batch of hollandaise sauce that morning but whipping up a creamy, lemony second.