Serviceberry pie celebrates the start of summer berry season

Makes 12 muffin-sized pies; 12 3¾-inch hand pies; or 1 large 9-inch pie (baked in a springform pan)

Summer is picnic-friendly, and having a serviceberry pie all to yourself feels special. So I’ll bake these little pies in muffin trays, to pack and carry.  You’ll need a muffin tray with 12 slots, and two cookie cutters:  3¾-inch for the bases, and 2½ -inch for the lids. The recipe doubles very well, if you are baking for a crowd.

If you choose to bake a single, large pie, increase the quantity of fruit to 6 cups, with 3 teaspoons of cornstarch. Sugar says the same: ½ cup.

Filling:

• 3 cups (about 12 oz) ripe serviceberries (or mixed berries), stems removed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons corn starch

Molly Bolt’s Pie Pastry:

• 1 Tablespoon butter for the tray
• 6 oz butter, at room temperature
• 2.5 oz sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 10.5 oz flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

To finish:

• ¼ cup cream or whole milk

For the filling: In a bowl combine the serviceberries or other berries, the sugar, and the cornstarch. Toss together well.

For the pastry: Lightly butter the slots in your muffin tray.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg. Beat again with a dusting of flour. Gradually beat in the rest of the flour, the baking powder, and salt. When the pastry is cohesive, divide it into two discs: one that contains 2/3’s of the pastry, one that is 1/3.

Dust flour onto your work surface and roll out your larger pastry disc thinly. Press out 12 pie bases using the 3 ¾-inch cutter. Loosen and lift each base with a dinner knife or a long spatula, and gently press it into the buttered muffin tray. Patch any tears with a pinch of extra pastry. Transfer the tray to the fridge while you roll out the second disc. Press out your lids using the smaller disc.

To assemble: Remove the tray from the fridge and spoon the fruit filling into each pie base – about 2 tablespoonfuls each. Place the pie lids on top of the filling and press down lightly (no need to crimp) and return to the fridge for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the chilled pies from the fridge. Pierce a steam vent in the top of each with the tip of a sharp knife. Brush each pie with a little milk or cream. Bake for 20 minutes, until the pastry is turning golden and the pies are oozing red juices. Remove the tray to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes (they become less fragile as they cool) before loosening each serviceberry pie in its slot by running a knife around the edges, gently. Carefully lift each pie from its slot, and transfer to a second cooling rack.

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