Nova Scotia: where the tides are high and the pies are berry important! Nova Scotia is famous for her blueberries – just ask Oxley, the giant blueberry mascot of Oxford. Every year a must-stop trip is the Lunenburg County Winery U-Pick found at 813 Walburne Road, Newburne. Please do not eat all of the blueberries you pick right there in the field and save at least 750 grams from your trip for this pie!
Fruit Fill
- 750 grams (4ish cups) blueberries
- 160 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 25 grams (3 tbsp) cornstarch
- 45 grams (3 tbsp) water
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 30 grams (2 tbsp) butter
In a small pot, put ¼ of the blueberries for this recipe , all of the sugar, cornstarch and water. Leave the remaining blueberries uncooked in a large bowl. Cook the berry mixture over medium- high heat until it has become bubbly and almost jam-like. It shouldn’t be opaque but rather a dark thick blue. Remove from heat, stir in the butter and then pour over the remaining (uncooked) blueberries. Add in your lemon zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir well to mix in the spices.
Pastry
- 272 grams (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 grams (½ tsp) salt
- 80 grams (5 tbsp) butter
- 80 grams (5 tbsp) shortening
- 90 ml (6 tbsp) ice-cold water
Toss all dry pie dough ingredients into your mixing bowl of choice, and blend until the fats are no larger than a pea, but be wary not to overmix. Add your ice-cold water and mix just until homogeneous, avoiding over- mixing at all costs. Divide in half, roll out, then place the bottom crust in a 10” pie tin. Pour your fruit fill into the bottom crust. Roll out your top crust and mark with your favourite shape. For a couple craft markets I sold pies at a few years ago, I went absolutely insane and fashioned mini moon cycles on the top of each pie, calling them blue moon pies – you needn’t be as fussy: it is what’s on the inside that counts. Crimp your edges, brush with milk and sprinkle sugar on top.
Transfer the unbaked pie into your oven that is preheated at 325° and bake until it is bubbly/golden, roughly 60 minutes.
This pie pairs well with locally made Get The Scoop Ice Cream, particularly a scoop of vanilla. I made this recipe for Laura Mulrooney, who you may know from her Julien’s cult-like following, after she requested a “not runny blueberry pie”. She insisted that cinnamon has no business being in a blueberry pie. I personally think it adds a certain warm and comforting essence. But don’t let me tell you what to do – if you, like Laura, are cinnamon adverse – despite its various health benefits – please omit cinnamon and nutmeg, and keep on living the dream. After all, you live in Nova Scotia and whether the berries are from Oxford or Lunenburg, they are shore to impress!
