Frozen Blueberry Pie

I found this frozen blueberry disk the other day and figured I should probably do something with it.  I mean, who leaves a frozen blueberry disk just laying around, seriously?  Not knowing what to do at first, I did what anyone would do in my situation; I searched the Internet.  Wouldn't you know it, Alton Brown has a blueberry pie recipe, and it calls for freezing the filling before making the pie.  Mystery solved!  Darn!  And I was hoping to go play some Frisbee golf with it. 

You may be wondering why would one want to freeze the filling first.  Well, according to AB, it makes it a lot easier to assemble the lattice top.  By having a solid base in which to work, it really is a much simpler task to handle the strips of dough to make the lattice pattern.

The lattice top makes for such a nice presentation as well.  But, presentation isn't everything.  In my opinion, flavor is what really counts.  So, how does the pie taste?  Amazing!  The blueberries are nice and tart.  There is a sweetness, though not overwhelming.  The hint of orange in the background is a nice touch as well.  Also, the filling sets up nicely, and is not at all runny.  All in all, this is a wonderful blueberry pie.  Plus, by freezing the filling, these pies can be enjoyed throughout the year, and it is a wonderful way to deal with a surplus of fresh summer blueberries.

Below is Alton Brown's recipe.  Notice it calls for store-bought pie dough, which is a no-no in my pie baking book.  Feel free to make your own pie dough, which is what I did.  I think the pie crust is just as important as the filling.  I think AB was just trying to make it simpler since the pie filling was already frozen.  Regardless, this is a wonderful pie!  Boy, am I glad I found that frozen blueberry disk!

Frozen Blueberry Pie
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
20 ounces blueberries, approximately 4 cups
4 ounces sugar, approximately 1/2 cup
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 ounces tapioca flour, approximately 5 tablespoons
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 (9-inch) store-bought pie doughs
1 egg yolk whisked with 1 teaspoon water

Directions
Wash the berries and pat dry. Mash up half of the blueberries in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and tapioca flour. Add the mashed blueberries, orange juice and orange zest and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. Fold in the whole berries.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with aluminum foil. Place the blueberry mixture into the foil and place in the freezer until solid, approximately 6 to 8 hours.

Once the filling is frozen, remove from the aluminum foil and wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

For baking:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Unroll first piece of dough and place into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure the dough reaches to the lip of the pie pan. Trim excess, if necessary. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork and set aside. Unroll second piece of dough and cut into 1 1/8-inch wide strips that are at least 10-inches long. Using a ruler that is 1 1/8-inches wide, lay the ruler on the dough at 1 edge and roll across dough using the edge of the ruler as you go to cut through the dough.

Remove the frozen pie filling from the freezer and place into the prepared dough in the pan. Lightly brush the edge of the crust with the egg yolk. Lay 4 strips of dough across the top of the filling horizontally, leaving an even amount of space in between each strip. Fold back 2 alternating strips and lay down another strip in the middle of the pie, perpendicular to the other strips. Return the strips that are laid back to their original position. Next, fold back the other 2 strips and lay down a strip to the left of the center perpendicular strip. Return the strips that are laid back to their original position and repeat on the other side of the perpendicular strip, folding back the same 2 strips as you did on the other side. Once you have a lattice, brush all the strips of dough with the egg yolk, trim excess dough and pinch strips and edge of crust in order to seal. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes. The pie should be bubbling lightly around the edges. If the lattice is not browned enough in the center, place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.

Place the pie on a rack and allow to cool to room temperature before serving, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.