Berry Pie

• Easy Pie Crust
• 3 to 4 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries or blackberries (see note at bottom of recipe)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (the secret ingredient)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon margarine

First prepare the pie crust for a double crust pie by following the directions for Easy Pie Crust. Fit the bottom crust into a 9" pie plate. In a medium sized bowl toss together the blueberries, sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon juice. I use my hands to mix it up, but if you're squeamish, you can use a big spoon. Dump the blueberry filling into the prepared pie crust. Dot frugally with margarine. The margarine keeps the filling from boiling over too much while it bakes. Gently ease the top crust over the blueberries. Crimp or fold the edges of the top and bottom crusts together to seal them neatly. Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325° and continue baking for about 40 minutes. If the edges brown too quickly, take narrow strips of tin foil (it takes 3 of them) and fit them around the edges to keep them from burning. 

This is just about my favorite pie in the whole wide world. Allow it to cool before serving. For a tasty treat that is out of this world, serve this pie with a small scoop of vanilla icecream or homemade Whipped Topping. Mmmmm, decadent.

NOTE: This recipe can also be prepared with raspberries or blackberries instead of blueberries. Omit the nutmeg and lemon juice, especially if you are using wild berries you've picked yourself. Wild berries have a pleasant tartness all their own, making the addition of lemon juice quite redundant. Depending on the sweetness of your fruit you may want to increase the sugar to 1-1/4 or even 1-1/3 cups. Let your taste buds guide you. The secret ingredient of wild berry pies is the super fresh flavor of their wildness. Compared to domestic berries, the wild ones are an adventure.