Grandma's Fresh Raspberry Pie

Summer raspberry pie at its most honest. Six cups of fresh berries get tossed with sugar, cornstarch, and a hit of lemon zest, then sealed inside a double crust that turns golden and lacquered after an hour in the oven.

The crust uses both butter and shortening, which is grandma logic and good science. Butter brings flavor and color while shortening guarantees flake. Use only butter and you risk a crust that toughens. Use only shortening and you lose all the buttery richness.

Cornstarch is the right thickener for berry pies because it goes clear when it sets, letting the ruby color of the raspberries shine. Flour would make the filling cloudy and pasty. Seven tablespoons sounds like a lot, but with six cups of juicy berries you need every grain to get a sliceable filling.

Don’t skip cooling. A hot raspberry pie runs all over the plate. Two hours minimum on the rack lets the cornstarch fully set up.

Chef Tips

• Chill the cut butter and shortening in the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting in. Cold fat is what creates flaky layers.
• The dough should look shaggy with visible flecks of fat, not smooth. Overworked dough turns tough.
• Bake on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Berry pies always weep through a slit, and you’ll thank yourself later.
• Look for thick, slow bubbles in the center vents. That’s how you know the cornstarch is activated and the filling will set.

Variations

• Sub half the raspberries for blackberries or sliced strawberries for a mixed berry pie.
• Brush the top crust with cream and sprinkle coarse sugar before baking for extra sparkle.
• Add a half teaspoon of almond extract to the filling for a bakery-style note.