Lattice-Top Nectarine-Blackberry Pie

By The Art & Soul of Baking: Reprinted with permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing, recipes by Cindy Mushet, photography by Maren Caruso
Images
Lattice-Top Nectarine-Blackberry Pie
Serves
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Ingredients
  • 2 recipes Flaky Pie and Tart Dough: Click here for recipe »
  • 6 medium (2¼ pounds) nectarines
  • 1 half-pint basket (6 ounces) blackberries
  • ⅓ cup (2½ ounces) sugar, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
  • 3 tablespoons (1½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (½ ounce) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream
  • Vanilla crème fraîche, almond cream, or vanilla ice cream for serving


Procedure
A carefully woven lattice is the crowning glory of a summer pie, providing a tempting glimpse of the sweet fruit within through the slatted golden brown crust.

Roll out the pie/tart dough: Click here for recipe »

Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan and chill until ready to use. Firmly shape the other recipe of dough into a small rectangle, then roll it into a 14 by 12-inch rectangle that is about ⅛ inch thick, trimming if necessary to reach the right dimensions. Carefully fold the dough rectangle into quarters, transfer it to a baking sheet, unfold, and chill until ready to use.

Make the filling: Rinse the nectarines and pat dry. Use a paring knife to cut each in half, remove the pit, and cut each half into 4 or 5 slices. Transfer to the large bowl. Pour the blackberries out onto a baking sheet. Pick through them and discard any debris or molded berries. (Do not wash, or they will absorb the water and turn to mush.) Add the berries to the nectarine slices. Add the sugar, flour, and lemon juice and gently toss with a spatula until the fruit is evenly coated.

Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell. From the chilled rectangle of dough, create a lattice. Refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes but no longer than 1 hour.

Make a lattice top: For a lattice-top pie, use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough so it overhangs the edge of the pan by 1 inch. Chill while you cut the lattice strips. Firmly shape the dough into a small rectangle, then roll it into a large 1⁄8-inch-wide rectangle. Trim to a 14 by 12-inch rectangle. Use a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or kitchen knife to cut the dough into fourteen 1-inch wide strips. If the strips of dough are warm and difficult to move, chill them on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. Spoon the filling into thepie shell.

Lay 7 of the lattice strips, evenly spaced, horizontally across the filling. Working from the right side, fold back every other strip (4 strips total) so that they are doubled back on themselves. Lay a vertical strip of dough down the center next to the folds in the strips. Unfold the horizontal folded strips back over this strip. Again working from the right side, fold the other 3 horizontal strips back on themselves. Lay a second vertical strip of dough next to this new fold. The new strip should be parallel to, and ½" inch from, the first vertical strip.

Repeat twice more, until half of the pie has been latticed. Turn the pie so the unlatticed side faces you and continue weaving in the same manner until all the strips have been used. With a pair of kitchen scissors, trim any lattice ends even with the overhanging bottom crust. Fold the overhang under and crimp or form a decorative border.

Bake and serve the pie: Preheat the oven to 400°F and position a rack in the bottom third of the oven. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the milk or cream to create an egg wash, then use the pastry brush to lightly glaze the lattice and outside edge of the pie crust. Sprinkle the top with the 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling and tender (test with the tip of a paring knife). Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the pie to cool for 40 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche, almond cream, or vanilla ice cream.

Storing: The pie will keep at room temperature under a cake dome for up to 2 days. For longer storage, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes to warm the filling and re-crisp the crust.

Lattice-Top Nectarine-Blackberry Pie

By The Art & Soul of Baking: Reprinted with permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing, recipes by Cindy Mushet, photography by Maren Caruso
Serves
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Ingredients
  • 2 recipes Flaky Pie and Tart Dough: Click here for recipe »
  • 6 medium (2¼ pounds) nectarines
  • 1 half-pint basket (6 ounces) blackberries
  • ⅓ cup (2½ ounces) sugar, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
  • 3 tablespoons (1½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (½ ounce) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream
  • Vanilla crème fraîche, almond cream, or vanilla ice cream for serving


Procedure
A carefully woven lattice is the crowning glory of a summer pie, providing a tempting glimpse of the sweet fruit within through the slatted golden brown crust.

Roll out the pie/tart dough: Click here for recipe »

Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan and chill until ready to use. Firmly shape the other recipe of dough into a small rectangle, then roll it into a 14 by 12-inch rectangle that is about ⅛ inch thick, trimming if necessary to reach the right dimensions. Carefully fold the dough rectangle into quarters, transfer it to a baking sheet, unfold, and chill until ready to use.

Make the filling: Rinse the nectarines and pat dry. Use a paring knife to cut each in half, remove the pit, and cut each half into 4 or 5 slices. Transfer to the large bowl. Pour the blackberries out onto a baking sheet. Pick through them and discard any debris or molded berries. (Do not wash, or they will absorb the water and turn to mush.) Add the berries to the nectarine slices. Add the sugar, flour, and lemon juice and gently toss with a spatula until the fruit is evenly coated.

Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell. From the chilled rectangle of dough, create a lattice. Refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes but no longer than 1 hour.

Make a lattice top: For a lattice-top pie, use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim the dough so it overhangs the edge of the pan by 1 inch. Chill while you cut the lattice strips. Firmly shape the dough into a small rectangle, then roll it into a large 1⁄8-inch-wide rectangle. Trim to a 14 by 12-inch rectangle. Use a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or kitchen knife to cut the dough into fourteen 1-inch wide strips. If the strips of dough are warm and difficult to move, chill them on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. Spoon the filling into thepie shell.

Lay 7 of the lattice strips, evenly spaced, horizontally across the filling. Working from the right side, fold back every other strip (4 strips total) so that they are doubled back on themselves. Lay a vertical strip of dough down the center next to the folds in the strips. Unfold the horizontal folded strips back over this strip. Again working from the right side, fold the other 3 horizontal strips back on themselves. Lay a second vertical strip of dough next to this new fold. The new strip should be parallel to, and ½" inch from, the first vertical strip.

Repeat twice more, until half of the pie has been latticed. Turn the pie so the unlatticed side faces you and continue weaving in the same manner until all the strips have been used. With a pair of kitchen scissors, trim any lattice ends even with the overhanging bottom crust. Fold the overhang under and crimp or form a decorative border.

Bake and serve the pie: Preheat the oven to 400°F and position a rack in the bottom third of the oven. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the milk or cream to create an egg wash, then use the pastry brush to lightly glaze the lattice and outside edge of the pie crust. Sprinkle the top with the 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling and tender (test with the tip of a paring knife). Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the pie to cool for 40 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraîche, almond cream, or vanilla ice cream.

Storing: The pie will keep at room temperature under a cake dome for up to 2 days. For longer storage, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes to warm the filling and re-crisp the crust.