Betty Crocker Cookbook (the one my mother used faithfully throughout my childhood and beyond!)
Select ripe, juicy berries - blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, or boysenberries, etc. Berries picked at the height of the season are more flavorful, require less sugar, and make the most delicious pies.
Wash the berries, drain well; then pick them over, remove stems and hulls. Use the smaller or larger amount of sugar according to your taste and the sweetness of the fruit. Very tart fruit may require even more sugar (up to 1-1/2 cups for 1 qt).
Make Pastry for Two-crust Pie. Line pie pan.
STANDARD PASTRY FOR TWO-CRUST (9") PIE: 1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening 3 tablespoons cold water
Heat oven to 475ºF. Mix flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.Roll pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired. Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool on wire rack.
FILLING: Mix.................................. 1 to 1-1/2 cups sugar 1/3 cup GOLD MEDAL flour 1/2 tsp. cinnamon Mix lightly through........... 4 cups fresh berries Pour berries into pastry-lined pie pan. Dot with....... 1-1/2 tablespoons butter Cover with top crust which has slits cut in it (or cut top crust into strips and make lattice top). Bake at 425 degrees until crust is nicely browned and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust..... 35 to 45 minutes. Serve slightly warm, not hot.
