Blueberry Pie

Method

1. Pastry

   To make the pastry, put the flour and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream and continue to pulse until the dough starts to cling together. Do not over-process – the dough does not need to form a ball. Add a little more sour cream if the mixture is a little dry. Tip the pastry mixture onto a clean kitchen bench and press two-thirds of the dough together into a flat round shape. Repeat with the remaining third of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll the large piece of chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to 4mm thick. Ease the pastry into a 20cm (base measurement) metal or glass pie dish. Trim the overhanging dough to about 1cm over edge. Chill for 15-20 minutes.

2. Preheat

   Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

3. Filling

   Meanwhile, for the filling, toss the blueberries, sugar, tapioca flour, lemon juice, salt and cardamom, if using in a large bowl until well combined. Spoon into the prepared pie shell. Scatter any loose mixture over the top.

4. Assembling

   Roll the remaining pastry plus trimmings to about 4mm thick, large enough to cover the pie. Leave it in one piece if you’d like to keep things simple or cut into 1.5cm strips for a lattice pattern. Brush the edge of the pastry in the dish with the beaten egg and lay the pastry sheet over the top (or create your lattice). Gently press the edges together, then trim with a knife. Crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork, if you like, then brush the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Cut 3-4 slits in the top of the pastry sheet to let the steam out.

5. Baking

   Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the centre of the pie is bubbling (101°C on a cooking thermometer). If the top browns too quickly, cover the pie with a tented sheet of foil and continue to cook for a little longer.

6. Serving

   Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 1.5 hours, or until the filling has thickened slightly. Serve with ice cream. This pie is also delicious cold.