Buttery blueberry pie

The butter in pastry ensures it is a winner. Great served ‘as is’ or with whipped cream or plain yoghurt. This recipe may be halved to serve 6-8 people.

Pastry

5 cups	Plain flour
1 tsp	Salt
2 Tbsp	Caster sugar
500 g	Unsalted butter, cold, diced
½ cup	Water, iced, use up to 1 cup if necessary

Filling

1 kg	Blueberries, fresh or frozen (Main)
½ cup	Caster sugar
3 Tbsp	Cornflour
2	Lemons, finely grated rind and juice

Glaze

1 small	Egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp	Milk
2 Tbsp	Caster sugar

Directions

Pastry

1. Pulse the flour, salt, and sugar in a large food processor, until combined. Add the diced butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. With motor running, add a ½ cup of iced water. Pulse until the dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. Add extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary. Do not over-mix.
2. Halve the dough and flatten into 2 disks. Wrap tightly in plastic film. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. This makes about 1.3kg of rich pastry.
3. Preheat oven to 200C. Lightly oil a 25cm x 35cm slice pan about 3cm deep.

Filling

1. Combine the blueberries, cornflour, sugar, lemon rind and juice in a large bowl.
2. On a floured bench, roll 1 disc of pastry to 28cm x 40cm. Line the base and sides of the slice pan with the pastry. On the floured bench, roll out a second disk to a 25cmx 35cm rectangle. Using a 5cm biscuit cutter, make about 35 rounds.
3. Pour the blueberry filling into the pastry-line pan. Place the pastry rounds over the blueberries. Brush the tops with the combined egg and milk and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
4. Bake until the crust is golden and the juices are bubbling, about 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.