American Flag Pie with Homemade Pie Crust

American Flag Pie, is made with a homemade pie crust that brings this pie to a rich balance of buttery flakiness as well as a luscious sweet-tart taste of homemade pie filling.

American Flag Pie, made with a homemade pie crust that brings this pie to a rich balance of buttery flakiness as well as a luscious sweet-tart taste of homemade pie filling.

My Mother taught me long ago that a pie is only as good as its crust. While there is some high quality ready made pie crust in the stores today, that was not the case when I was growing up.

I learned to make pie dough from my Mother and perfected it in my Home Economics class in high school.

I recommend making a homemade pie crust if at all possible. For the American Flag Pie recipe, I use one of my favorite pie crust recipes.

My Homemade Pie Crust recipe combines butter and shortening, lending a flaky, buttery crust every time. I have a few secrets to share that will help you avoid being intimidated by making your own pie crust.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE? TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR AMERICAN FLAG PIE

Below, under the next heading, I give a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for the American Flag Pie and similar recipe ideas you can have.

Or you can scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with amounts of the ingredients and complete instructions with notes.

The recipe for my Homemade Pie Crust makes a bottom and top crust for a 9-inch pie dish, two single 10-inch, or three single 8-inch pie crusts.

I like to use my Homemade Pie Crust Recipe for these:

and the list goes on.

I like to use my Shortbread Pie Crust Recipe for these pies:

and the list goes on.

I start off by adding the flour and salt to the food processor and pulsing it to distribute the salt. Don't think that salt is a minor ingredient when making homemade pie crusts. The salt in the recipe enhances the flavor so much that you will know if it is in the recipe, and in the same respect, you will know if it is left out of the recipe.

Now here is one of the secrets to all the flaky layers in the crust, I add cold butter and cold shortening, and cut with a pastry blender until small pea size crumbs form. (A food processor may be used to cut the butter and shortening to form pea size crumbs.)

And then another secret is to add cold water and stir with a fork just until it starts to form a ball. From here on out, you do not have to fuss too much with the rest of the recipe.

This recipe is so forgiving. Another secret is you do not have to place the dough in the freezer to chill the dough before rolling it out.

I find it makes the dough too hard to roll out and keep in tack. I always tear it or work it too long.

I like to roll the dough out, place it in the pie dish, crimp the edges, and then put it in the freezer for 30 minutes or the refrigerator while I make the filling to chill the butter and shortening again.

Here are my secrets to what makes all the flaky layers in the crust. I hope this encourages you to give my recipe a try.

I keep pie crust in pie dishes in the freezer well wrapped for up to six months. Usually around the holidays so I am not too stressed and have time for my family.

While the pie crust dough is resting in the freezer, I like to clean up my working area and begin with the pie filling.

What You Will Need For The Recipe:

Pastry Cloth
Pastry Blender
Large Mixing Bowl
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Rolling Pin
10-inch Pie Dish
Small Star Cookie Cutter
Sharp Knife or Pizza Cutter
Pastry Brush
Flour
Sugar
Shortening (I use Crisco)
Butter (I use Butter with Salt)
Salt
Eggs
Cornstarch
Strawberries
Cherries
Blackberries
Blueberries

How To Make The Recipe

FOR THE PIE CRUST

Add flour and salt to a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut the shortening and butter in the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Pea size is perfect. Some bigger pieces of fat are ok.
Measure ice cold water in a measuring cup. Pour in 1/3 increments while lifting the flour and fat mixture around in a circle. After adding all the cold water, stir until a ball is formed.
Turn out the pie dough on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Form it into a flattened circle. Cut off one third of the dough from the flattened circle and set it aside.
Form the 2/3 cut of dough in a circle. Using a rolling pin, roll the pie dough gently to form a circle. Turn the dough gently a quarter of a turn as you keep rolling. This will ensure the dough is rolled evenly in a circle. Keep turning and rolling until the dough is a 13-inch circle.
Fold the dough in half to help it lift, then place it in the 10-inch pie dish. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

FOR THE PIE FILLING

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch; set aside.
In a medium bowl, add the blueberries and blackberries, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract. Toss together. In a large bowl, add the cherries and strawberries, 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. Toss Together.
Add 1/2 cup of sugar cornstarch mixture to the blueberries and blackberries. Fold the mixture into the fruit, being gentle so as not to break up the fruit. Add the remainder of the sugar cornstarch mixture to the cherries and strawberries. Fold the mixture into the fruit, being gentle so as not to break up the fruit. Set the fruit aside until adding it to the pie dough crust.
To divide the pie filling in the pie crust, form a double strip of foil or parchment paper to form 1/3 sections for the blueberries/ blackberries and 2/3 sections for the cherries/strawberries.
Spoon the strawberry/cherry filling into the pie dough crust on the 2/3 side of the pie dough crust. Be sure to spoon and not pour. Do not add the juice that has formed while the fruit is sitting aside. Too much liquid will cause the pie not to cook properly.
Spoon the blueberry/blackberry filling into the pie dough crust on the 1/3 side of the pie dough crust. Again, be sure to spoon and not pour. Do not add the juice. Too much liquid will cause the pie not to cook properly. Set the filled pie aside while rolling out the top crust.
On the lightly floured pastry cloth, roll the 1/3 cut of pie dough. Turn the dough gently a quarter of a turn as you keep rolling the dough. Turning the dough will ensure the dough is rolled evenly in a circle. Keep turning and rolling until the dough is 8 inches.
Using the star cutter, cut 12 to 14 stars. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut 5-6 strips 1 1/2 wide.
Remove the foil strip from the pie. Arrange the star cutouts over the blueberry/blackberry filling. Arrange the strip cutouts over the cherry/strawberry filling. Trim the excess pie dough hanging down around the pie, leaving enough to tuck under. Crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork.
Place the pie back in the refrigerator while the oven is preheating. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, beat egg and milk together until completely incorporated; set aside.
When the oven reaches 400 degrees F., Remove the pie from the refrigerator, brush it with egg wash, and sprinkle coarse sugar evenly over it.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and place a crust protector around the edges of the pie to prevent the pie from getting too brown. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Remove the pie from the oven and let cool for 3 hours or overnight. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

WHERE YOU WILL SEE THIS RECIPE

Metamorphosis Monday
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