mixed berry pie

I love pie, especially when it has a crispy, golden crust and is served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top. Ooh, so good! The other night I made this mixed berry pie using a super simple recipe that my friend Taylor shared with me. When I say it was delicious, I'm not lying. It was so tasty!

Note: the dog didn't even get one taste.

The simple secret step that separates it from other pies that I've made over the years, is that you put a layer of your fruit, a layer of pie crust (or pie crust pieces pieced together to make a skimpy layer), and then another layer of fruit. I was sold when Taylor told me about that secret layer of crust! Like I said, I love pie crust!

Enough talking about crust, let's get to the recipe!

Ingredients / Supplies

• Loaf baking pan or pie pan
• 1 package of premade pie crust (I used store brand and it came with two crust, and I used both)
• 2/3 to 1 cup of white sugar
• 2 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 3 cups berries (I did one cup each of blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted 

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350*F. Lightly spray your pan with cooking or baking spray. I personally like to use the olive oil spray or an olive oil spritzer when cooking or baking. 
2. Line you pie pan with your pie crust, making sure to have enough for the middle layer of crust and for the lattice strips to go on top. I cut my crust to fit the bottom by tracing my pan, then I put crust on the sides. It is easier to do a middle layer of crust in a loaf pan because you will use less crust. 
3. Mix your berries, sugar, and cornstarch in a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is well combined. You  can use fresh or frozen berries. I used a combination of frozen and fresh; the blackberries were frozen, and the blueberries and strawberries were fresh. You can use anywhere from 2/3 to 1 cup of sugar depending on your preference of sweetness. The same goes with the cornstarch. I used 2 tablespoons this time, but will probably use 3 or 4 for a thicker pie filling next time. I personally wouldn't use more than 4 tablespoons of cornstarch.
4. Pour your first layer of filling into your crust covered pan. Make sure it is evenly dispersed. Lay the crust reserved for the middle layer over the pie filling. It can be a full sheet, or you can piece together scraps. Whatever works for you. Once you have your middle layer of crust down, evenly pour your second layer of pie filling. 
5. Take the rest of your pie crust reserved for your lattice strips. Cut the pie crust into 1/2-inch strips. I don't have pictures of laying the lattice, but I found it easier to lay the long strips first and then weave your smaller strips in and out across. I took a long strip, wove it through on the shorter end, and then trimmed. Most of the time I could use the trimmed section for the next piece. Here's a lattice crust tutorial from Gimme Some Oven. 
6. Once you are finished with your lattice work, use a basting brush to brush your lattice and edges with the melted butter. You don't want too much butter, just enough to give it that beautiful, golden color. 
7. Stick your pie in your hot oven and let it bake for 35-40 minutes. It may need more or less time depending on your oven. I have an older oven and I baked the pie I made Monday for 40-45 minutes to get the golden, flaky crust that I wanted. 
8. Let you pie rest 10-15 minutes on the counter and then serve it up! I love warm, fruity pie with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! 

I'm so thankful Taylor shared this simple recipe with me! I'm excited to make more pies from it in the future!! Feel free to tweak it as you like. I've thought about what it would be like to replace the white sugar with brown sugar. I just love brown sugar and its flavor. Sub in your favorite fruit or favorite combination!

Jenni Grace