PROLETARIAT PIE
For the fence sitters of the world who can never decide: you don’t have to today. Blueberry AND Apple Pie is the answer. Apples and not even a whole bag of frozen blueberries come together so that this recipe can be made on the super cheap. This pie takes mere pennies to make, hence the proletariat pie moniker I’ve come to love calling it. Coriander powder helps boost blueberries due to their similar flavour compounds so if you feel bold, a touch of it won’t be out of place in this recipe.
Proletariat Pie (Apple & Blueberry)
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Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Total Time: 150 minutes
8 Servings
Ingredients:
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Filling
- 750g green apples
- 375g frozen blueberries
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of coriander powder (if you're brave)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 tablespoons cornstarch
Pie Crust - 150g dairy free butter
- 350g plain flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- up to 6 tablespoons ice-cold water
Instructions:
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One at a time, core and peel the apples before slicing thinly and adding immediately to the sugar mixture to prevent browning. Toss through the cinnamon, salt, and coriander powder if you’re feeling daring. Stir through the blueberries. Let this sit to the side for however long it takes for you to prepare the crust.
To make the shortcrust pastry, mash the butter with a few tablespoons of the flour in a large bowl until you make a paste. Mix in the rest of the flour along with the salt and use two forks to cut the butter paste into the flour. Continue until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. You can also use your fingertips towards the end to get the blobs of butter very fine.
Add the ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding any more. When the dough just comes together, knead it once or twice to create a dough ball. Preheat the oven to 220c.
Grease a pie tin with butter and sprinkle flour to coat, tapping any excess out. Using your hands or a rolling pin, press or roll out half the dough into a circle that’s larger than your pie tin. Carefully lift the pastry into the tin and press it into place, allowing the excess to hang over the edge. Roll out the other half of the dough into a similar round, but this time use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into thin, even strips.
Drain the filling mixture liquid that has amassed into a small pot with the vanilla, and whisk through the cornstarch. Continue to whisk slowly as you place the mixture over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Pour the filling into the prepared pie base and smear the thickened liquid over the top.If you want to show a bit of extra love for whoever is going to be eating this pie, dot extra butter over the top of the filling before moving on.
Remove every second strip of sliced pastry dough and lay, spaced out, over the pie filling to form the start of the lattice crust. Choose your strips carefully to make sure the length runs the whole pie to create the right effect.
Peel back every second strip on the pie towards you. Using one of the remaining strips, lay it at a perpendicular angle across the closest part of the pie to you. Lay the peeled back strips back into place to create a woven look. Peel back the strips that you didn’t for the previous layer and repeat this process. Continue until the pie is covered in the woven top. You can turn the pie 180 degrees at the end and fix up some of the strips closer to you if needed. Trim the edge with scissors and use a fork to press down around the edge to close off the pie. If you’re in the mood, brush the top with plant based milk.
Place the pie on the bottom of the oven and turn the temperature down to 180c. Bake for 60-90 minutes or until the top is browned and the filling is bubbling. Move around the oven occasionally, and if you need, broil the top towards the end for a gorgeously crisp crust. Allow to cool fully before slicing and serving.