I love numbers and baking, so Pi Day is my kind of holiday. As you may recall from geometry class, pi is a circle's circumference divided by its diameter. If you go out to two decimal places, pi rounds to 3.14, so Pi Day is celebrated on 3/14, or March 14.
Fresh, locally-grown fruit is in short supply during March in Minnesota, so this pie made with frozen blackberries has become my Pi Day staple. As you're preparing it, the blackberry filling seems like it will be too juicy, but it firms up nicely as the pie cools. The blackberry filling comes out slightly tart, with an interesting depth of flavor from the lemon, cinnamon, and almond—it reminds me of a Scandinavian dessert.
I use my mom's pie crust recipe, which is the golden standard against which I judge all pie crust (a single-crust version is included in this recipe for maple walnut cranberry pie; double it for this recipe). Feel free to use your favorite crust recipe if you prefer, since pie crust is a highly personal and particular thing.
Adapted from Simply Recipes
Ingredients:
- 5 cups frozen blackberries (24 ounces), thawed overnight in the refrigerator and drained
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- pie dough, enough for top and bottom crust of a 9-inch pie
Combine blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, and almond extract in a large bowl. Toss until berries are well-coated. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Roll out half of the pie dough and place in a 9-inch pie dish. Evenly spoon the blackberry filling into the crust-lined dish. Roll out the other half of the pie dough and if desired, cut out a pi symbol or other shape in the center. Place the second crust on top of the filling, trim any excess dough, and fold and crimp the edges. If you haven't already cut a shape into the top crust, cut several slits in the top crust to allow the steam to escape while baking.
Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbly.
Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.
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