American Flag Berry Pie

A rectangular baking sheet gives this berry pie room for a flag design. Strawberries fill the striped section, blueberries fill one corner, and pastry cutouts finish the pattern. Let the pie cool before cutting so the fruit filling has time to settle.

Ingredients

Pastry

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little for rolling

• 3 1/2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 14 ounces butter, cut into cubes

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream

Strawberry filling

• 3 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and quartered

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons orange zest

• 4 tablespoons cornstarch, flour, or quick-cooking tapioca

Blueberry filling

• 1 pint blueberries

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, flour, or quick-cooking tapioca

Pastry glaze

• 1 egg white

• 1 teaspoon milk or cream

Directions

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt for the pastry in a large bowl. Work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.

2. Stir in the sour cream, then gently bring the dough together with your hands. Divide it into three equal portions, flatten each into a rectangle, wrap, and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.

3. Mix the strawberries with their sugar, orange zest, and chosen thickener. In another bowl, combine the blueberries with their sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, lemon juice, and thickener.

4. Line the bottom of a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Roll out two portions of chilled dough on a lightly floured surface, letting them soften briefly first if necessary. Use them together to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Press the seam closed, trim overlapping excess dough, and crimp the outer edge.

6. Use some pastry scraps to form a low divider around a rectangular area in one upper corner. This will separate the blueberry section from the strawberry filling. Refrigerate the prepared crust.

7. Roll out the third dough portion. Cut long and short strips for the flag’s stripes, plus stars using a cookie cutter.

8. Whisk the egg white with the milk or cream. Brush the pastry strips and stars with this mixture and refrigerate them while preparing the pan.

9. Heat the oven to 450°F. Place the blueberries inside the corner divider and distribute the strawberries across the remaining crust.

10. Arrange the stars over the blueberries and the pastry strips across the strawberries. Refrigerate the assembled pie for 10–15 minutes.

11. Bake for 15 minutes at 450°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and loosely cover the pie with foil. Continue baking for approximately 45–55 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked and the fruit filling bubbles.

12. Let the pie cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into portions.

Recipe source: Simply Recipes.