Happy Summer everyone! I love this time of year because the farmer’s markets are in full gear and stocked with the most colorful assortments of vegetables and fruits. Blueberry season usually runs from about May to August so I was excited to utilize the berries while at their peak.

This recipe is simple if you use a store-bought pie crust like I did but the steps for making your own dough and crust are also included for the chef with a little more time on their hands. Since I made this pie in the evening I used the shorter version of frozen pie crust. The key is just to place it on a baking sheet and to let it thaw on the counter as you prepare the pie’s filling.

I found that there was a lot of the crumble topping leftover when I was sprinkling the top of the fruit so I opted to not use it all. You could add a little more butter to make the crumb larger and perhaps that would have made it necessary to use up all the sugar and cinnamon goodness.

The pie came out gorgeous with plump blueberry now oozing their purple-pink juices but staying together enough to not run all over the plate when cut up. Perfection! We ate it very late because we couldn’t wait until the morning alongside a dollop of vanilla ice cream and some fresh blueberries on top. Enjoy!

Blueberry Crumble Pie

Recipe from: Bon Appetit, July 2011
Makes: 8 servings (9″ round pie)

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 9″ pie crust

OR to make your own:

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for surface
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Filling and topping:

• 2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 5 cups (1 pound 10 ounces) fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly

Special equipment: Use a 9″-9 1/2″-diameter glass or metal pie dish. You will need pie weights or dried beans to bake the crust.

Directions:

1. Directions to make your own crust are at the end of the recipe. OtherwiseRemove pie crust from freezer to let come to room temperature as you continue the recipe. You do not need to cook the crust first if it is fresh or frozen. Whisk 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add blueberries and lemon juice; toss gently to coat and evenly distribute. Let filling stand, tossing occasionally, until berries release their juices, 20-30 minutes.

2. Whisk flour, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add melted butter; mix topping with fingertips to blend.

3. Preheat oven to 375°. Spoon blueberry filling into crust, then sprinkle topping over. Bake pie until filling is bubbling and topping is golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cover with foil after 30 minutes if browning too fast.

4. Let pie cool on a wire rack. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Instructions for Making Your Own Pie Crust:

For crust:
1. Pulse 1 1/4 cups flour, butter, and salt in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry.

2. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, use the heel of your hand to smear each portion of dough twice in a forward motion to distribute butter.

3. Gather all 4 dough pieces into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Dough can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13″ round. Transfer to pie dish, gently pressing dough onto bottom and up sides of dish. Fold overhang under and crimp edges decoratively. Pierce bottom of crust in several places with a fork, then chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

5. Line a large baking sheet with foil and place on a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Line crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and pie weights. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 12 minutes longer. Transfer crust to a wire rack; let cool.