Pie making doesn’t seem to happen too often in my kitchen. I like pie, I even have favorite pies. And I enjoy making pies (although I definitely should be making them more often so that I can be better at it!). But for some reason, they just rarely cross my mind as something that needs to happen. The way cookies seem to need to happen weekly. But I’ve been seeing a lot of slab pie recipes lately and I’ve been wanting to try one out, so pies have been on my mind lately.
My usual go-to pie is apple, as that’s my love’s favorite, but I thought a red berry pie with some heart cutouts would be a nice Valentine treat. Slab pies are definitely fun to serve & eat, they seem easier and less messy than a normal round pie. Being able to cut them into bars makes them a treat you can enjoy without a plate & fork, although that flaky crust can be a little messy (as it should be)!
Raspberry Slab Pie
Crust:
4 cups flour
couple dashes of salt
2 cups butter flavor shortening
3/4 to 1 cup water
Preheat oven to 375º. Stir flour & salt together. Add shortening and blend with pastry blender, until dough is crumbly, but don’t overwork it. Add water a little at a time until dough sticks together (you may not need all of it) and you can form a ball. Divide dough in half. Roll out one of the halves on a floured surface into a rectangle, about one inch larger than 13″ x 9″ pan. Place rolled dough in a 13″ x 9″ x 1″ pan; press firmly against bottom and sides.
Filling:
24 oz raspberries
1/4 cup Minute tapioca
1 cup sugar
Mix raspberries, tapioca and sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes (or if using frozen raspberries – heat all 3 over low heat for about 10 mintues). Pour mixture into pie crust. Place dabs of cold butter on top of raspberry filling. As my mom’s grandmother Clara used to say, “dot your pie with as much butter as your conscience will allow”. (Thankfully my conscience allows for quite a bit ;)).
Roll out other half of dough, the same size as before. If desired, use cookie cutter to cut out shapes (or free-hand some with a knife). Place dough on top of pie filling, press and seal edges together. (You can do an egg wash on the top crust if desired – beat one egg and lightly brush the top of the crust with the egg using a pastry brush – you won’t need the whole egg, just a little). Sprinkle top of crust with sugar (don’t be stingy!). Prick top of crust with fork a few times.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is hot and bubbling. Cool on wire rack.
The best part of blogging? I’m off to eat some pie for breakfast, can’t let the blog work go to waste!
– Manda
PS – don’t forget to enter the Home & Hill Giveaway – it ends today!
Congratulations to Emily Krieger – winner of the Fox and the Fawn giveaway!!
