Wild Blackberry Pie

I don’t believe in big text walls before recipes. It’s horrendous and annoying, so I’ll let you get to the recipe! This recipe is inspired by the favorite dessert of one of the characters from The Glorifieds, Siddaway Hiram. This recipe uses wild blackberries, often picked in the South from roadsides or backyard patches. If you don’t have access to such a treasure trove, in the infamous words of Ina Garten, store-bought is fine.

Ingredients:

For the Sourdough Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup sourdough starter

• ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (I use Kerrygold)

• 3-4 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

• 4 cups fresh wild blackberries, rinsed and drained

• ½ cup granulated sugar (adjust according to sweetness of berries)

• ¼ cup cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Sourdough Crust:

   • In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the sourdough starter and cubed butter.

   • Using a pastry cutter, mixer, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

   • Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough comes together.

   • Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each into a disk, then roll.

   • Put crust into pan, flute edges, and parbake at 375 degrees for about 5 minutes.

2. Make the Filling:

   • In a separate bowl, gently toss together the blackberries, sugar, and cornstarch, until well combined.

3. Assemble the Pie:

   • Pour the blackberry filling into the pie crust, spreading it out evenly.

   • Roll out the second disk of dough and place it over the filling. Get as decorative as you wish with the top crust. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges to seal.

   • Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking, unless you did a lattice.

4. Bake and Serve:

   • Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake in the preheated oven for 30 t0 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

   • Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.

   • Serve slices of this delicious wild blackberry pie on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This Wild Blackberry Pie is just a slice of the rich foods (and storytelling!) from "The Glorifieds." So, gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and enjoy. Be sure to follow me on Tiktok at KalynDenaeAuthor, X X (Twitter) @Kalyn_Denae, or Instagram at kalyn_denae_author.