Double Berry Pie

Wins clients, makes friends

As a fledgling freelancer I would woo prospective clients with pie. Pie became my tasty calling card. Famously I brought a pie for a friendly client meeting/BBQ. Blueberry and Blackberry on grahm cracker crust. The pie went over well, I got the design gig. The pie was dubbed the black and blue, and one of my best ever. I hoped to relive that slice of heaven pie this week for the same client turned friend's birthday, but blueberries were sub par and expensive at the market. Strawberries are still out there, so in the pie they went. Double berry, strawberry and blackberry on a gingery crumb crust, pie is cousin to the black and blue and undoubtedly a client winner.

Double Berry Pie

Crust
3/4 cup whole almonds
3-4 oz crushed ginger snaps
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tblsp brown sugar
1 large pinch of salt
1 tblsp heaping flour
3 tblsp melted butter


Pie
1 qt strawberries, hulled and halved
1 pint black berries
1 tsp Grand Marnier/orange liquor (optional)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tblsp flour

1 recipe pie crust
1 heaping tblsp flour
2 tblsp butter

For the crust: Pulse almonds, cookie, ginger, sugar, salt, and flour in a food processor until fine meal forms. Add melted butter in a thin stream with food processor running. The dough will darken and begin to stick to itself when ready. Crust mixture can be made a day ahead, chilled in an air tight container.

For the pie: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix berries, liquor, flour and sugar in a bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes. Press crust mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate, reserve 1/4 cup crust mixture for topping. Spread berry mixture with juices on top of crust. Its okay if the berries pile 1/2 - 1 inch above the pie plate rim, they will cook down. Dot berries with 1 tblsp of butter. In a small bowl blend the remaining pie dough with 1 tblsp butter, and flour. Rub the butter into the flour with finger tips to make crumbs. Sprinkle over pie.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until topping is lightly browned and the berries are bubbling. Cool and serve at room temperature. Ice cream is a good companion, so is fresh whipped cream scented with Grand Marnier.