Nectarine-Blueberry pie

     I have had the past week off from The Tech Museum as they are closed September 2nd through September 5th for their annual cleaning.  I finagled my schedule so that I would have ten days off in a row.  Scott and I were planning on going on an extended vacation, but Scott had to "ruin" it by GETTING A NEW JOB!!  Woo woo!  For those of you who know me, you know how much this means to us.  So, this means I've been playing little Mrs.Susie Homemaker for the week while he goes to work.  This recipe was on my calendar and it looked so delicious that I just had to try it!

Nectarine-Blueberry pie

Look at all of the delicious filling!

Nectarine-Blueberry Pie from Cooking Club of America's 2014 Calendar

http://cooking.scout.com/story/1439523-nectarine-blueberry-pie

Note: Nectarines are splendid in a pie.  They require no peeling, and their flavor deepens during baking.  Here, they're combined with blueberries and lemon, and unexpected spark that made this pie a favorite with tasters.  If you'd like, offer slices with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Recipe: 

DOUGH

2 1/4 cups bleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening, chilled, cut up
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut up
5 to 7 tablespoons ice water
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

FILLING

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking or minute tapioca
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 lb. nectarines (about 6 large), sliced (1/2 inch) (6 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut up

Process:

1. Process flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in food processor 10 seconds. Add shortening; process until mixture resembles very fine crumbs. Add 1/2 cup butter; pulse 4 times (just to start blending butter into flour). Pour into large bowl. With fingertips, rapidly pinch butter into flour to form large flakes. (Mixture should be cold. If it begins to warm, refrigerate bowl 20 to 30 minutes before continuing.)

2. Combine 5 tablespoons water and vinegar. Add to flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring flour mixture with fork and adding additional water just until dough forms. Divide dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other; shape each into 5-inch round. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until chilled. (Dough can be made 1 day ahead.)

3. Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar, brown sugar, tapioca, lemon peel, pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Add nectarines, blueberries and lemon juice; toss to combine. Let stand 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, arrange one oven rack in center and another one in bottom position. Place heavy rimmed baking sheet on lower rack. Heat oven to 450°F.

5. On lightly floured surface, roll larger dough round into 12-inch circle. Line 9-inch pie pan with dough; trim dough. Spoon fruit mixture into pan; dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Brush dough overhang with ice water.

6. Roll second dough round into 10-inch circle; place over fruit. Trim dough to 1/2-inch overhang; fold under edge of bottom crust. Press gently to seal; flute edge. Cut 4 slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush crust with ice water; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Place on baking sheet on lower oven rack.

7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust begins to brown. Transfer pie with baking sheet to center of oven; reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake 1 hour or until crust is browned and juices bubble thickly through slits. Cool completely on wire rack, at least 6 hours.

8 servings

PER SERVING: 565 calories, 28 g total fat (12.5 g saturated fat), 5.5 g protein, 77 g carbohydrate, 40 mg cholesterol, 230 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

     My verdict?  Definitely delicious, although I may never make the pie again!  It was a pain in the patooty (especially cooking in the tiny kitchen we have).  I didn't have quick-cooking tapioca, so after a little Internet research, I used rice flour instead.  It seemed to hold up okay and do the job.  The filling was pretty much liquid when I put it in the pie but it has firmed up quite nicely.  Also, I refuse to bake with vegetable shortening, so I just used my regular pie crust recipe (see this blog http://insearchoftheperfectmacaroniandcheese.blogspot.com/2012/07/macaroni-and-cheese-olallieberry-pie.html for the recipe).  The crust was delicious but I made a mistake and added too much water so it was way stickier than usual.  I should've added more flour, but I wasn't thinking straight today.

     Speaking of not thinking straight, I also didn't notice until *right this moment* that it said you don't have to peel the nectarines!  That would've been so useful to know, as it probably took me at least thirty minutes to peel all of them, despite doing the old boiling trick (that I first mentioned in my peach cobbler post http://insearchoftheperfectmacaroniandcheese.blogspot.com/2013/09/peach-cobbler.html).  I also mixed up the times, so ended up cooking it twice as long on the 450 setting, which means it was cooked by the time I realized my mistake.  Fortunately, it wasn't too burnt!

     All in all, a delicious pie although I think next time (if there is a next time), I would use peaches instead of nectarines.  Although maybe if I used nectarines and didn't peel them...  Either way, enjoy this taste of summer!!!