Patriotic Pie

The food riches of summer are almost overwhelming. The produce at the markets, the food festivals, the pick-your-own bounty, the holiday barbecues. We make hay while the sun shines and I’m trying to grab as much of it as I can. So I’ll start with a recipe—a perfect pie for the Fourth of July holiday. This comes from Laurie Bowen and Kristin Broadley, the “Pie Ladies” of the Centerville Pie Company on Cape Cod. The pair gained national fame when Oprah Winfrey tasted their pies on a visit to the Cape and was so impressed she had them on her show. Laurie and Kristin have also earned kudos for their work with Cape Abilities, a regional non-profit that supports people with disabilities. As Centerville Pie has grown, Cape Abilities members have provided much-needed manpower in the kitchen and back office. Centerville Pie Co. Patriotic Pie Pie crust for a double-crust pie 4 tablespoons quick-cooking or instant tapioca 2 cups blueberries 1/8 teaspoon table salt 1 cup granulated sugar 4 cups pitted cherries 3 tablespoons evaporated milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice Directions: Preheat oven to to 350°. Roll out half the pie dough and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Tuck dough into plate and trim and crimp edges. In a large bowl, mix cherries, sugar, tapioca, salt and lemon juice in a bowl. Pour cherry mixture into pie shell so that it fills three-quarters of the space, reserving the other quarter for blueberries. Add the blueberries as the “stars”. Cut the remaining dough into strips. Arrange these “stripes” across the top of the pie, leaving an opening for the blueberries to be exposed. Brush the top of your pie with evaporated milk. Set on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 1 hour.