Friday's Thorsday Book Review...and Pie

Yep, it's been one of those weeks.  I feel like the week has been about 11 days long, and I still need another 3 or 4 days before it's over.  Blech.

So, it's a perfect time to review the second book about pie making which I found thanks to my friends at the Wall Street Journal.  (Seriously, I could spend a small fortune buying all of the books they review which I think would be entertaining, informative, or otherwise necessary to my life.  But that's a thought for another day.)

A YEAR OF PIES
by Ashley English

This book about pie making is arranged by seasons: pies one would make in spring, summer, fall or winter.  It contains recipes for not just sweet pies, but also savory pies.  Some are baked in the oven, others have the filling cooked on the stove.  She writes extensively about how she chooses what pies to bake (by season, of course), that being the inspiration for the book.  There's lots of information about various types of pie plates and other equipment used to make pies, along with discussion of various ingredients used in crusts.  Of course, there are recipes for crumb-type crusts as well as pie dough, and an introduction to each season, and a little story about each pie.  The book includes lots of pictures, too, which is really wonderful for drool-inducing inspiration.  And, for me, one of the best features of the book is that, while it's soft covered, the covers are reinforced, and somewhat oversized, so the book is protected, and doesn't feel like it will fall apart in a year.  Amazon has it at a great price, if you're interested.

And, now, the inaugural pie from this lovely tome hails from the summer section....

BLUEBERRY REFRIGERATOR PIE

9" Graham Cracker Crust
1 tbsp butter
1 pint blueberries (or 2 cups frozen blueberries thawed)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 pound (2 cups) ricotta
8 ounces cream cheese

Melt the butter in a pan.  Add the blueberries and cook until the berries start to release their juices.  Stir together the sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, then stir them into the blueberry mixture, along with the lemon juice.  Cook until the mixture is thickened to a jam-like consistency, remove from the heat and cool somewhat.  Cut the cream cheese into chunks, and stir it into the blueberry mix, along with the ricotta.  When combined, run through the food processor until smooth, and pour into the pie crust.  Top with additional fresh blueberries, if desired, and cool for a few hours until it's firm.

Confession is good for the soul:  I used a regular pie crust, baked and cooled, because I didn't have graham crackers or crumbs.  It was still excellent.  I used a 10" pie plate because that's what I have.  It was still excellent.  And I used frozen blueberries, and, you guessed it: this pie was excellent.

In summary:  Good Book.  Great Pie.  My guys want it again soon.  Happy weekending, everyone!