{Happy Anniversary!} Blueberry and Nectarine Pie

I'm back from my amazing adventure around Sweden and Norway and will be sharing all of that with you in a few posts! After so long out of the kitchen I was excited to get baking again.

Today is a very special day. On this day 35 years ago, two amazing people got married. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! You have always been loving and supportive parents. It is so inspirational to see a love like yours going strong after all these years and three children.

In honour of this special day I wanted to make something beautiful, but also something warm that reminded me of the comforts of home. Although pie was never a major feature in our lives at home, it's something I've always loved and looked on as a major comfort food. I've been avoiding making it for many years after reading how finicky the crust can be.

I told myself that if I can make complicated layer cakes like this, then it was about time I took the plunge and made a pie! I used this Peach Blueberry Pie from Joy the Baker as my recipe and added a few twists of my own. It looked beautiful and tasted delicious! The crust was light and flaky and the filling perfectly balanced and not too sweet.

Unfortunately (for them), my parents decided to go away for a romantic weekend getaway instead of celebrating with us and did not get to try the pie. But happy anniversary mom and dad! You were in my thoughts and I love you both!

Blueberry Nectarine Pie

(adapted from Joy the Baker)

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups Flour

2 tbsp Sugar

3/4 tsp Salt

227g Unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

5 tbsp plus 2 tsp ice cold Water

1 tsp Apple cider vinegar

Pie Filling

6 White nectarines

1 cup fresh/frozen Blueberries

2/3 cup Sugar

1 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground Ginger

3 tbsp Flour

1 tbsp Corn flour

2 tsp Lemon juice

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, to sprinkle on crust

For the Crust

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl
2. Add the cold butter, cut into cubes about 1cmx1cm and work it into the mixture using your fingers. Try keep your fingers cool (run under cold water if needed). You're going for crumbs not larger than a pea in size.
3. Stir the ice cold water and vinegar together. 
4. Make a well in the centre of the butter and flour mixture and add the vinegar water. 
5. Mix together with a fork, trying to moisten all of the flour. Your dough will look a bit ragged and uneven, but don't worry!
6. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and divide into two portions.
7. Gently knead each portion into a disk shape. Wrap each of these in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least and hour.

For the Filling

1. Cut the nectarines into slices and place in a large bowl with the blueberries. 
2. Mix together the flours, sugar and spices in a small bowl.
3. Add the spice mixture to the fruit and mix gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
4. Add in the lemon juice and stir to incorporate.
5. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge while you prepare the crust.

Assembly

1. Preheat the oven to 205 C.
2. Take one of the dough disks out of the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured work surface. Keep rolling until you have a circle about 30-35cm in diameter.
3. Gently press this into a 23cm baking dish. Put this is the fridge while you roll out the top crust.
4. Take the second dough disk from the fridge and again roll out into a circle of similar size. If you want to cut out a shape in the top crust, do it now using a cookie cutter.
5. Take the dish with the bottom crust out of the fridge and gently tip the pie filling into the crust.
6. Take your top crust and place over the bottom half of the pie. Cut the pastry so that you have an overhang of about 2cm. 
7. Pinch the two layers together and fold under. Brush the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. If you did not cut out a shape in your pie, then cut a few slits now.
8. Bake at 205 C for 15 min then reduce the heat to 190 C and bake for another 45 min. The crust will be a beautiful golden brown and the pie filling will be bubbling.
9. You'll need to leave the pie to cool for at least two hours before serving. (It will still be warm after two hours).