pies and pastries

Heat oven to 425 F. Prepare Double-Crust Pastry. Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir in blueberries. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate; sprinkle with lemon juice and dot with margarine. Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and flute.

Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.

Double-Crust Pastry:
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons shortening or 2/3 cup lard
2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Cut shortening into flour and salt, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until particles are size of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Roll one round into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down glass pie plate, 9×1 1/4 inches, with floured cloth-covered rolling pin. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Roll other round of pastry. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape.

*If using self-rising flour, omit salt. Pie crusts made with self-rising flour differ in flavor and texture from those made with all-purpose flour.

**Drained canned blueberries or unsweetened frozen blueberries, partially thawed, can be used instead of the fresh blueberries.

Makes 6 servings

This recipe displayed with permission from General Mills, Inc.