Oil Crust with Blueberry Filling

CRUST

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand a deep 9-inch pie pan.

2. In a 1-cup measure, pour the oil just over the ½ cup line. Add the milk to make a good ¾ cup of liquid.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix the flour and salt. Add the oil mixture (do not stir while pouring). When it is all added, use a rubber spatula to stir the oil in gently. The mixture looks very wet; it’s OK.

4. With a wet paper towel, wet the counter. Spread waxed paper on it. Add ⅔ of the dough. Set another piece of waxed paper on top.

5. Roll the dough into a round about ⅛-inch thick. Gently remove the top waxed paper, working from the edges to the center. Set the pie pan near you. In one steady motion, pick up the paper under the dough and quickly flip it over into the pie pan. Gently remove the remaining waxed paper sheet, working from the edges to the center.

FILLING AND BAKING

 1. In a bowl, combine the berries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and butter. Stir well without mashing the berries.

2. Tip the berries into the pie.

3. Roll out the remaining dough the same way as the first. Flip it onto the filling. Pinch the top and bottom crusts together neatly around the edge of the pie. Press a fork around the edges in a neat pattern. With a paring knife, cut 5 vents in the top crust.

4. Gently wrap a 4-inch band of foil around the edge of the pie pan.

5. Bake the pie for 25 minutes. Remove the foil. Continue baking for 15 minutes or until the filling is bubbling through the vents and the crust is golden. Total baking time is 40 minutes.

Ike DeLorenzo

We did a blind taste test of five crusts: all butter, butter and shortening, all shortening, lard, and oil. The crust with oil was the surprise victor: Two people said it was their favorite (one by a nose over the butter/shortening combo). One said it was her second favorite (just after the butter/shortening combo). And two preferred the butter crust, though it posed philosophical questions about what is really a pie. No one favored the lard or all-shortening versions.

Here’s what they had to say:

1 Butter “More a scone filled with fruit than a pie.’’ “Pass the whipped cream. My hands-down fave.’’ “Has a flavor that might work better with a more neutral fruit pie, like apple; seems to be trying to be a pastry and a pie crust at the same time.’’ “This was not pie. It was good, though.’’ “So what if it’s not really a pie? The crust seemed fuller (as well as better). Clearly the best.’’

2 Butter and shortening “My favorite. Tastes buttery, has real flavor.’’ “Handsome, substantial, buttery but not overwhelming.’’ “The taste and texture are nice and clean and allow the filling to be the star.’’ “Blank flavor, blank canvas. Soooo pretty. The other tops fell and rolled into peaks and valleys, while this top stayed sky high.’’ “Slightly sweet, less buttery.’’

3 Shortening “Doesn’t have a lot of flavor.’’ “Tasteless crust. Nothing to distinguish it.’’ “Thin with a nice consistency, but with a somewhat bland, paper-like taste.’’ “Nice and flaky on top. Flavor was neutral, good.’’ “Like a superior version of Table Talk.’’

4 Lard “Tastes like bacon. Would be good with apples and cheddar.’’ “Flaky but not dreamy flaky. Oinky quality.’’ “Too durable and fatty, it seems better suited to a meat pie.’’ “Chewy edges. Held a lot of moisture. The top had real peaks and valleys - soggy valleys, crispy peaks.’’ “A slight yet detectable greasy aftertaste.’’

5 Oil “This tastes like pie! Gives good return on both flavor and flakiness. The edge is a little too crispy, but otherwise it’s my favorite in terms of texture.’’ “Firm, golden, crisp.’’ “Very pretty, tasty crust with enough thickness to give a slice of pie that classic look.’’ “Rolled out very thin, edges and top broke into lovely tiny flakes. Nice non-flavor flavor - tasted crusty (in a good way).’’ “A very pleasing flakiness to the edge; a bit bland, perhaps.’’ DEVRA FIRST