Double-Crusted Cranberry Blueberry Pie

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup shortening, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/3 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons ice water

1/2 of a small orange, peel and all, quartered

1 12-oz bag cranberries, fresh or frozen

4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

To make the crust, combine flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add cold butter and shortening, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add sour cream and ice water, and process just until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide dough into two equal parts, shape each into a 1-inch thick round, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

To make the filling, grind the orange in a food processor. Combine orange with all other ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue stirring until a jam-like consistency is reached, about 4 minutes. Cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove one of the dough rounds from the fridge, unwrap it, and place it on a very clean, floured surface. Roll it out into a 12″ circle. Carefully place the dough in a pie plate, making sure it is centered, and press it into place. Pour the cooled filling into the pie plate. Use a pastry brush to brush the top edges of the bottom crust with milk. Remove the second dough round from the fridge roll it out using the same method as the first. Place it on top of the pie and, using a paring knife, trim off any crust that hangs over the edge of the pie plate. Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edges of the two crusts together. Cut a few slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the pie with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 50 minutes, until the crust is golden.

*****

• If you bungle the top crust beyond repair–as I did–use scraps of dough and a decorative cookie cutter to patch the hole.
• Cut the extra crust into cookie-sized pieces, brush with milk, and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes and voila! Pie Crust Cookies, a childhood favorite, and my youngest sister’s only contribution to Thanksgiving dinner.
• Put foil around the edges of the crust after they’ve reached the perfect color, otherwise they will burn.