As always, I pick more blueberries than I can use just because they are so scrumptious! I freeze what I can, make a pie, blueberry pancakes with the littles when they visit, add them to a salad with pecans and Honey Mustard Dressing, Blueberry Banana Nut Muffins, or just nibble on them as a snack. This Blueberry Pie Filling can be prepared ahead of time ready to plop into a pie crust. I prefer to make my own Ultimate All-Butter Pie Crust. It too can be made ahead of time until ready to roll.

Blueberry Fields Forever:

In the early June and July mornings, with an ever slight summer breeze, the blueberry fields I visit are meditative. Sunshine abounds with dragonflies and butterflies swirling about in their ever evasive flights, occasionally perching on top of a blueberry bush for a quick reprieve. An unexpected surprise one day was a couple of hummingbirds circling about my head during one of their exploratory flights. Picturesque, isn’t it? One suggestion though. Go early for 2 reasons, best picks and to avoid the heat. Make sure to bring the grandchildren to make some memories and treats associated with their pickings as a reward!

The Filling:

This filling is simple, quick and flavorful with a hint of lemon. I have used fresh, frozen or even a combination of what I had available. Its thickening agent may be different than what you are used to, but it works amazingly well. You will find this Minute Tapioca located in the aisle in your grocery store which has pudding and Jello mixes. It’s already fine in texture, but I do try to grind it a bit more using a food processor or similar device before using it in the recipe.

Whisk together the sugar spices and lemon zest. If you forget to mix this up, don’t worry. In a rush, I’ve done this before and it still turns out fine. Combining it ahead of time just helps distribute the ingredients more quickly.

The Mix Up:

In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries with the lemon juice. Then stir in the spice mix and tapioca.

Turn burner to MEDIUM-LOW. Stir frequently and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to simmer and continue to stir for about 15 minutes or until the mixture has a consistency of jam. If using frozen berries, it may take a few more minutes. Patience will lead to perfection. Below is a picture of the filling which is also used in my Flaky Blueberry Hand Pies. That filling was made a day ahead of time, but was chilled in fridge overnight. I shared that pic to show its standing consistency.

Completing the Pie:

My Ultimate All-Butter Pie Crust is my favorite all time crust! It’s so easy and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Click on the link for specific directions and instructional pictures. (* The one shown below is for a single crust pie.)

While the filling is cooling, brush the bottom pie shell with a frothy EGG WHITE and chill in the fridge. Second, preheat the oven with a rimmed baking sheet which will hold the pie when baking. This combination will help prevent the bottom crust from becoming soggy once cooked. The egg white seals the crust. Placing the empty pie shell on the pan which was in the oven while it was preheating will start cooking the bottom of the pie crust once the pan is placed on it.

The next step will be to place the Blueberry Pie Filling into the pie pan sitting on the preheated baking sheet. For a two-crust pie, place the second crust on top allowing for a 1 inch overhang of both. Trim any excess dough over that amount. Tuck the edges of the dough under the rim of the pie pan and seal by either pinching or pressing edges with a fork. You can even SLIGHTLY press a spoon twice around the edges as shown above for the single crust pie. It creates a nice appearance that will impress anyone ! Use a pastry brush to brush on remaining egg whites OR beat 1 whole egg with a tablespoon of water until frothy, then brush it over the top pie crust for a more golden appearance. Slice a few slits for steam to escape before placing pie in the oven.

The Bake:

Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Place pan on the cooling rack for about 45 minutes. Then, remove baking sheet from beneath the pie and allow pie to continue to cool at room temperature on the rack. Once completely cooled, it can be stored in fridge, if it’s not to be eaten that day, or stored at room temp in sealed container. My sister requested a blueberry pie to have on hand as she recovers from surgery. This is a two-crust pie as you can see. YUM! Check out the bottom to see how it’s NOT soggy! This was a cut made 2 days after baking !

Below is my Blueberry Crumb Pie which should be on the blog within a few days of this posting.