Mulberry Pie

So yesterday was cold and rainy. Lovely weather for making pie. Here's how Paddock Workers make a bit of heaven on a plate. Start with the pastry. 
I like a short pastry (lots of butter) known as Pate Brisee Sucree to Provence Field Workers.

 My pastry is totally made in the food processor. I know the traditional Frenchy Field Workers did it all by hand, but I'm guessing that's because they invented pastry before they invented the food processor.

 Toss in 2 cups flour and 2 teaspoons sucre and give it a quick wizz. Add 150g butter and wizz till it looks all crummy. Add an egg and a tablespoon or two of milk and wizz like crazy. It will all form up like in the picture. Because I like thick  pastry, I make 2 batches - one for the top and one for the bottom. If you're OK with thin pastry, you could get away with 1 batch, but it will be pretty thin. Now here's the thing. After being belted by a food processor, your pastry needs a nice rest in the fridge. About half an hour. While it's having a nice lay down, you can cook up your Mulberries.

I used 4 cups of Mulberries, but would use 6 if we were having company, or I was looking to win a contest as 6 cups would make a nice high pie. Put your Mulberries in a saucepan with a bit of water and a couple of tablespoons of sucree (Mulberries aren't very sweet). As you cook them, the Mulberries will release more juice. When the Mulberries have softened after about 10 minutes or so, mix a heaped tablespoon of corn flour with a little water and add to the pot. This will thicken the mix for your pie.

By now, your pastry should be ready for a bit of roly-poly. I use two sheets of baking paper to roll out. Turn the lot over and keep unsticking the paper as you go. Using this method instead of rolling out over a floury bench means that you aren't adding more flour to your nice buttery pastry. After rolling out, your pastry will need another nice rest in the fridge. While this is happening, you can wash up so that the Responsible Adult doesn't get cross about a messy kitchen. Then blind bake your shell. I go for about 10 minutes with lentils weighing down the base and another 5 minutes without to crisp up the bottom.
Then it's in with the filling, on with the top and a bake in the oven. The pie needs to be cold before serving. At the cubby house, we like to have sour cream with our sweet pies, but lately the shop seems to want to sell us the Frenchy Creme Fraische which is less sour. It's all good - just enjoy.