PASTRY:
12 T unsalted butter, chilled and 3 c all-purpose flour
cut into ¼-inch bits 2 T sugar
4 T lard, chilled and cut into ½ tsp salt
¼-inch bits 6 to 8 T ice water
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In a large chilled bowl, combine the butter, lard, flour, sugar and salt.
With your fingertips rub the flour and fat together until they look like
flakes of coarse meal. Do not let the mixture become oily.Pour 6 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture all at once, toss together lightly and gather the dough into a ball. If it crumbles, add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water by drops until the particles adhere.
Dust the pastry dough with a little flour and wrap it in wax paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
Spread 1 tablespoon of softened butter over the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie tin. Divide the dough into three parts, with one section being somewhat smaller than the other two. Refrigerate the smaller section and one of the larger ones and place the third on a lightly floured surface.
Roll it into a rough circle about 1/8 inch thick and 12 to 13 inches in diameter. If the dough sticks to the board or table, lift it gently with a metal spatula and sprinkle a little flour under it.
Drape the dough over the rolling pin, lift it up and unroll it slackly over the buttered pie tin. Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the tin, being careful not to stretch it. With a pair of scissors, cut off the excess dough from the edges leaving a 1-inch overhang all around the outside rim. Gather up the scraps and refrigerate both the pastry shell and the scraps while you prepare the filling.
FILLING & ASSEMBLY
6 c fresh ripe blueberries 2 T strained fresh lemon juice
1½ to 2 c sugar
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Preheat the oven to 400°. Wash
the blueberries in a colander set under cold running water,
discarding any stems or blemished berries. Spread the berries on paper
towels and pat them completely dry. Then place them in a deep bowl, add
1½ cups of sugar and the lemon juice, and toss together gently but
thoroughly. Taste the berries and add up to ½ cup more sugar if you like.On a lightly floured surface, roll the smaller of the 2 reserved pieces of dough into a circle no more than 1/16 inch thick and 9 or 10 inches in diameter. With a pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut out a smaller circle about 8½ to 8¾ inches in diameter, using an inverted 8-inch cake pan as a guide. Cut a ½-inch hole in the center of the circle. (Gather the scraps together and refrigerate them.)
Spread half of the blueberry mixture evenly over the bottom of the lined pie tin and gently place the 8½-inch round of dough on top. Place the rest of the blueberries over the circle of dough. Then roll the remaining piece of dough (adding the scraps to the ball if necessary) into a circle about 1/8 inch thick and 12 to 13 inches in diameter. With a pastry brush dipped in cold water, lightly moisten the outside edge of the pastry shell. Drape the dough over the rolling pin, lift it up and unroll it over the top layer of blueberries. Trim the excess pastry from around the rim with scissors or a sharp knife, then crimp the top and bottom pastry together firmly with your fingers or press them with the tines of a fork. Cut a 1-inch hole in the center of the top crust.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350° and continue baking for 1 hour longer, or until the top is golden brown.
Serve the cipāte aux bleuets while it is still warm. The center crust, which will steam as the pie bakes, will have a dumplinglike texture and absorb some of the berry juice. Makes one 9-inch pie.
