Summary: For many years, my grandmother, Nanny, had a dozen or so large blackberry bushes thriving in her sunny backyard. Growing up, it was such a treat when the "season" opened as my sister and I would race out with a big bowl, eating and collecting from bush to bush. Those we didn't eat we brought inside to store or to dip in sugar and savor. Those we stored were most often turned into this pie, a sure hit and favorite of everyone I've ever made it for. The crust is a family tradition too and is both easy and superb. This freezes beautifully!

Yield: one 9" pie

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, sifted
1½ teaspoons salt
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup milk
4 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen (unthawed)
¾ cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in ¼ cup cold water

Instructions:

For the pie crust: Put the sifted flour into a medium mixing bowl, and sprinkle the salt over it. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the oil and milk inside (some will spill over). Using a fork, mix everything together until damp.

For a 9" pie crust bottom, take about 60% of the dough, roll into a ball, and place on a sheet of waxed paper. Cover with a second sheet of waxed paper, and roll out with a rolling pin, until somewhere between ⅛" and ¼" thick. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper, and turn the crust out into a pie plate. Trim any edges, and set aside.

For the blackberry filling: Preheat oven to 375. In a large saucepan (4 quart or so), put the blackberries and sugar; cook until all sugar is dissolved and the berries have started breaking down. Then, stir in the cornstarch slurry slowly (you may not need to use it all) until the berries have started to thicken.

Once the filling is somewhat syrupy (this is a somewhat runny pie), pour into your prepared crust.

Roll out the rest of the pie crust dough, cut into ¾" strips and make a lattice top. Place pie on a baking sheet to catch spills, and bake for about 30 minutes, until crust is golden brown.