Apples and blackberries are two of Ireland’s most adored
fruits, and this pie is an Irish tradition. Instead of making
your own piecrust, you can use two 9-inch circles of
ready-to-bake pie dough.
Piecrust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
11⁄4 cups margarine
3–4 tablespoons cold water
Filling
6 Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons lemon juice
11⁄2 cups frozen blackberries
1⁄3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons low-fat or
nonfat milk
1 tablespoon sugar
How to make
Anytime Apple and Blackberry Pie
If you’re using premade crust, skip to step 6. To make the
piecrust, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium
bowl with a wooden spoon.
Cut the margarine into the flour mixture with the pastry
blender, using a back and forth motion until the mixture
looks like small peas.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture.
Gently toss with a fork. Add 1 more tablespoon of water
and toss again. Repeat 1 more time.
Use your hands to form the dough into a ball. If it is slightly
dry, add 1⁄2 tablespoon of water. Repeat if necessary.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten each piece into
a round disk. Place each disk into a plastic bag and place
in the refrigerator to rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash the apples and dry with paper towels.
Peel the apples using a vegetable peeler.
On a cutting board, slice the apples in half with a paring
knife. Cut out the core. With the flat sides down, slice
each apple half into 1⁄4-inch slices.
Place the apples in a medium mixing bowl filled with cold
water and the lemon juice.
Drain the apples using a colander, and place them back
into the mixing bowl. Add the frozen blackberries, sugar,
flour, and nutmeg. Stir carefully with a wooden spoon.
On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll 1
piece of dough into a 12-inch circle. Always roll from the
center to the edges.
Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, then unroll the dough
over a 9-inch pie pan. Use your hands to press the dough
in place. Trim the pastry so that it is about 1⁄2 inch longer
than the pie pan edges.
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Place the apple filling into the pie pan.
Roll the second disk of dough into a 12-inch disk. Roll it
onto the rolling pin, then unroll it over the pie filling. Trim
the top crust so that it is about 1⁄2 inch longer than the pie
plate and is even with the bottom crust.
To make a fluted edge around the pie, place your thumb
against the inside of the pie crust. Press the dough around
your thumb with your other hand’s thumb and index finger.
Cut three small slices into the top of the pie so that heat
can vent out.
Brush the milk on top of the pie with a pastry brush.
Sprinkle the crust with sugar.
Use oven mitts to place pie in oven. Bake the pie for about
50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Take out of
the oven with oven mitts and cool on a wire rack for 30
minutes before cutting.