Jayhawk Pie

Oh buddy!  I call it Jayhawk Pie because it's cherry-blueberry.  For anyone who doesn't know, the Jayhawk is my college mascot, and our colors were red and blue.  And there you have it.

For the first time ever, I decided to make my own pie crust.  That's right!  I was so scared.  It is a little difficult, but it came out all right.  Not perfect, but that's part of the beauty of it.

Oh man look at all that gorgeous fruit.  Drool.

This part was especially hard.  I rolled out the dough on floured wax paper, so I could relatively easily flip it over the top.

I folded the edges over, and then crimped the sides with my fingers.

And just for good measure... the letters were easier than carving a tiny jayhawk out of dough.  In case you were thinking of trying it.

And, as with calzones, a little brushed egg on top gets the crust just right.

Boom!  Delicious.

Jayhawk Pie

Crust: (from joy the baker)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
5 Tbsp + 2 tsp ice cold water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Filling: (adapted from allrecipes)

1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 21 oz can cherry pie filling
2 cups fresh blueberries

Top:

1 beaten egg
2 Tbsp white sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg

For the crust: in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.  Add cold, cubed butter and, using your fingers, quickly work the butter into the flour mixture, breaking it down into a coarse meal.  Stir together the ice cold water and vinegar.   Create a well in the butter and flour mixture and pour in the water and vinegar mixture all at once.  Stir with a fork to bring to dough together, trying to get it all moist.  On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough.  Divide the dough in two and gently knead into two disks.  Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Mix together the filling ingredients in a separate bowl and set aside.

Remove one of the pie dough disks from the fridge.  On a floured surface, roll dough out into about a 13-inch round. Work quickly but carefully, with a well floured rolling pin.  Lift the 13-inch round from the floured surface and center in the 9-inch baking dish.  Now roll out your top crust.

Pour the fruit filling into the bottom crust in the pie dish.  Carefully drape the top crust over the fruit in the pie dish.  With a small knife, trim the crust, leaving about 3/4-inch overhang.  With your fingers press the top and bottom crusts together and fold under.  Use your fingers to crimp the edges of the dough.  Cut small slits in the top of the crust so the juices and steam can vent.  Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar nutmeg mixture.

This part is optional: Using foil, cover the edges of the crust.  

Place pie in the oven and bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.  Reduce the oven heat to 375 and (if you used foil to protect the edges, remove it now;) bake for 45 to 55 more minutes.  Remove from the oven when crust is browned and golden. Allow to cool on rack for 2 hours before serving. 

This pie is magic.  People who like neither cherry nor blueberry pie will love this one.  I brought it to a tailgate the first time I met my fiance's best friends, and I credit this pie with making a good first impression.  Also, after finally making my own pie crust, I am an utter and complete convert.  Extraordinary.