Saskatoon Pie
Saskatoons are far from in season, I realize – but blueberries are close. And local saskatoons can be had by the bagful from the freezer at the farmers’ market.
This is about the time of year I start wanting pie – more so than my usual every day pie craving, that is – and berry pie in particular; one that will preferably release purple juices into my vanilla ice cream.
A saskatoon pie also makes for a nostalgic sweet for mothers in law in the hospital, where the desserts that arrive on the nightly dinner tray rhymes with hell-O and comes in a plastic cup.
This isn’t the prettiest pie I’ve made – I had slightly less pastry than I needed, left over from another baking project – but someone once said that the best kind of pie is the kind that’s on the table. I don’t worry about the oohing and aahing, so long as it tastes delicious.
And it should be noted that saskatoon pie – which is mostly berries, really, wrapped in crisp butter pastry bound in part with an egg – is the perfect springtime breakfast food. I heartily endorse it as an accompaniment to your coffee, or for elevenses.
Saskatoon Pie
AuthorJulie
Preheat the oven to 425°F
Divide the pastry more or less in half, with one piece slightly bigger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece to a circle about an inch bigger than your pie plate; drape it over the rolling pin and transfer to the pie plate, pressing it gently to fit, letting the sides hang over. Roll the other piece out to about the size of the top of the pie.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Put the berries into a medium bowl and add the sugar mixture and lemon zest; gently stir to combine, then pour into the pastry shell. Top with bits of butter.
If you like, cut the second piece of pastry into strips and make a lattice top; otherwise, lay it over the pie, brushing the edge of the bottom crust with a little beaten egg first, if you like, and trim and crimp the edge. Cut a few slits in the top to let steam escape.
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350°F and bake for another 50-60 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let cool before slicing.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F
Divide the pastry more or less in half, with one piece slightly bigger than the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece to a circle about an inch bigger than your pie plate; drape it over the rolling pin and transfer to the pie plate, pressing it gently to fit, letting the sides hang over. Roll the other piece out to about the size of the top of the pie.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Put the berries into a medium bowl and add the sugar mixture and lemon zest; gently stir to combine, then pour into the pastry shell. Top with bits of butter.
If you like, cut the second piece of pastry into strips and make a lattice top; otherwise, lay it over the pie, brushing the edge of the bottom crust with a little beaten egg first, if you like, and trim and crimp the edge. Cut a few slits in the top to let steam escape.
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350°F and bake for another 50-60 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let cool before slicing.
Mmm now I have to try and imagine what Saskatoon berries taste like… This looks stunning! x
Yum, as a prairie boy, this is my favorite pie. My Saskatchewan raised parents called them Juneberries, although I’ve always called them Saskatoons. The perfect breakfast food with a good cup of coffee, could not agree more. A splash of kirsch in the filling adds a certain something.
Jules…Saskatoon Berries are sort of indescribable, kind of a tangy pear/almondly flavour, but more earthy/wild. Depending on where they come from they can be quite mild to intense. I have a secret wild patch in a secret coulee that have the best flavour (large and juicy).
Thanks Julie…I know my next weekend baking project.
Cheers,
Jake
Just…swoon.
Julie, I love, love Saskatoon pies too! Hand picking the berries in mid summer is a lonely job now that our kids have grown up. However…I always cook my berries as I find them a bit chewy without doing this! A rich vanilla ice cream accompanies it.
Oh, I have FEELINGS about saskatoon pie. The berries I grew up with (in northern AB) had a very floral note to them. Over the years, my preferences with regard to saskatoon pie have evolved as follows:
I love lemon zest in my blueberry pie, but not in my saskatoon pie. I think the lemon competes with the saskatoon’s earthy-vanilla-almond-ish notes. If you feel compelled to add flavouring to the filling (and you really needn’t), I’d suggest a bit of vanilla or a few drops of almond extract.
In lieu of ice cream, whip some cream and flavour it with a bit of sugar and almond extract. Or – and this is my favourite – serve with whipped cream that’s been drizzled with maple syrup; I love the way maple mingles with saskatoon.
If I’m not serving the pie to a purist (my dad), then I sometimes blitz almonds or pecans in the food processor and add them to the pastry. So. Good. This way, you’re adding protein and fibre to your meal, which makes it easier to justify at breakfast.
Hi , do you pre bake the pie crust ,, I found the moisture from the berries made to much weakness and the crust was soggy
Oh you could par-bake the crust first? but then it would be tricky to put on a top crust… perhaps a crumble topping instead?
This pie looks wonderful! It’s seems like a great choice to serve during dinner parties, when the host is short in time. Thanks a lot Julie for sharing this recipe!
Hi Julie
I have made your saskatoon pie a couple of times with great luck. I lilke the fact that I don’t have to cook the berries into some kind of mush first which I always thought was a shame. I have added my favourite spice, cardamom, which together with the lemon zest really gives this pie a bit of edge – in my opinion.Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Mmmmm…. one of my favorite! I make the filling separate and then add it to the crust then you have plenty of sauce.
I’m making this today as two 4.5” mini pies. If I cook them at the same time should I reduce the cook time? There’s more surface area so I’m assuming they will cook faster. I’ll watch it closely! Thanks for the beautiful recipe and photos.