1 Sugar, to taste (start with 2–4 tablespoons / 25–50 g depending on berry sweetness)
1 teaspoon (0.6 g) salt
1 Pastry dough for a single-crust pie with lattice top (enough for one 9-inch / 23 cm pie shell, rim strips, and six lattice strips)
Instructions
1. Pick over the blackberries, discarding any underripe, overripe, or damaged fruit, then rinse them under cold running water and drain.
2. Combine the berries with approximately 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries are fully softened and beginning to release their juices, about 8–12 minutes, until the fruit is slumped, the skins are split, and the mixture is visibly juicy.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar to taste (begin with 2 tablespoons / 25 g and adjust) and 1/8 teaspoon (0.6 g) salt. Allow the berry mixture to cool completely to room temperature before filling the pie — at least 30 minutes. Do not fill the shell while the berries are still warm, as this will soften the pastry.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry dough. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate with the bottom crust, then press a narrow strip of pastry around the inside rim of the plate to form a raised rim (this is a period technique to build height at the edge before adding a lattice rather than a full top crust).
6. Fill the lined shell with the cooled berry mixture.
7. Lay six evenly spaced strips of pastry across the top of the filling, cutting each strip to the same width as the rim strip. Press the ends of each lattice strip onto the rim, then press a final outer rim strip around the perimeter to seal and finish the edge.
8. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 28–32 minutes, until the pastry is a deep golden brown, the edges are set and firm to the touch, and the berry filling is visibly bubbling up between the lattice strips.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing so the filling sets.
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