Blackberry Balsamic Pie

There are blackberries growing everywhere in the garden. We have trays and trays of frozen blackberries and jars and jars of blackberry jam (not made by me, I've never made jam). 

 

 

This weekend Andrea, Sean and I picked a couple of containers of blackberries. We ate some along the way. Okay, we ate a lot. A lot.

 

But I did keep some to bake with.  I was trying to decide between a blackberry and raspberry slice and a blackberry pie. However we don't have any raspberries, so decision made. Blackberry pie it was.

Specifically Blackberry Balsamic Pie from the kitchen of Adrienne Blumthals via Design Sponge. I've never made this pie before so I wasn't sure how it would turn out.

Pie Dough:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes (4oz)
• 4 tbsps ice water

• Combine flour and butter in food processor
• Pulse 7 to 8 times
• Add water 1 tbsp at a time. If dough appears too dry and additional water 1 tbsp at a time (I used 5 tbsp)
• Remove dough from food processor and mold onto circular disk (I used a pizza tray)
• Cover and refridgerate for at least 20 minutes

Pie Filling:

• 4 & 1/2 cups of fresh blackberries (mine were right from the garden, don't get much fresher than that)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsps and 1 tsp of corn starch
• 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
• zest of 1 lemon

• Mix blackberries, sugars, corn starch, vinegar and lemon in a bowl
• Toss the mixture with a spoon ensuring all blackberries are coated

Crumble Top:

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and chopped into small cubes (4oz)

• Stir oats, flour, sugar, walnuts and salt in a large bowl
• Add butter and rub into mix with your fingertips, pressing the mixture until clumps form

Bake and Assemble the Pie:

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Roll dough onto floured surface and transfer to a 9" pie dish
• Trim any crust overhang
• Turn under and crimp edges
• Spoon the blackberry filling onto the dough
• Sprinkle the crumble mix on top, covering all the blackberries
• Bake pie for 45-50 minutes, checking after 25 mins. If crust or crumble is browning too quickly, cover with foil
• Serve with cream or vanilla icecream

It was really easy to make and it tastes good. At least I think so. The walnuts in the crumble top give it a nice crunch and the balsamic vinegar and lemon zest in the pie filling cut into the sweetness.

I like.