BLUEBERRY HAND PIES

A fond memory of my childhood involves picking berries and when we had enough, take them to my Grandmother’s house and make Hand pies and Pie pops. Hand pies were wonderful little fried fruit pockets filled with berries and Pie Pops were usually stuffed with plums or pears. I no longer have my Grandmother’s recipe but I found this one and tried it and with the first bite of that crisp pocket and those warm berries, I was right back in Paris, sitting under a giant magnolia tree with juice running down my chin.
So here is the recipe and here’s to Fond memories!
Makes 12 four-inch half-moon hand pies
Ingredients for the pie dough:
2 cups and 1 ¾ tablespoons cake flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup cold cubed unsalted butter
¼ cup Crisco, frozen in small pieces
2/3 cup cold water
Instructions:

1. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is the size of large peas.
2. Cut the Crisco into the mixture until it is also the size of peas.
3. Add the cold water and stir just until mixed together.
4. Chill for at least 1 hour.
   Ingredients for the blueberry filling:
   3 cups blueberries
   ½ cup granulated sugar
   1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
   2 1/3 tablespoons cornstarch
   1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice.
   Instructions:
5. Heat all ingredients except lemon juice in a pot on medium heat, stirring the whole time gently, making sure not to crush the blueberries.
6. The blueberries will start to release some juice and the mixture will start to thicken. Cook until liquid bubbles and is beginning to be fairly clear
7. Let cool completely in the fridge.
   To assemble:
8. Portion the chilled dough into 1/3-cup pieces and roll into a circle about the 4 1/2 inches in diameter and chill for 20 minutes.
9. Place 3 tablespoons of the blueberry filling in one half of the dough circle.
10. Fold over in half and seal edges with egg wash (1 egg, plus 1 yolk) and press with a fork.
11. Trim edges with a paring knife or pizza cutter to make look clean.
12. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated or raw sugar.
13. Make three small holes in the top with a pairing knife.
14. Bake on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 350F for 17 minutes, rotate 180 degrees, and bake 17 more minutes or until golden-brown.