Blackberry Pie

Combine the filling ingredients: Place the blackberries, sugar, cornstarch (or flour or ground instant tapioca), lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and almond extract in a large bowl. Gently fold the berries until they are all well coated with sugar. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the rack in the middle of the oven.

Roll out the bottom crust and chill: You should have two disks of pie dough, one for the bottom crust, one for the top crust. Roll out one of the disks of pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch diameter if you are using a 9-inch pie pan, or 13-inch diameter if you are using a 10-inch pan. Line the bottom of your pie pan with the dough. Chill in the refrigerator while you roll out the top crust.

Roll out the top crust: Roll out the second disk of pie dough for the top crust. You can keep the top crust as one solid disc or cut the dough into strips for a lattice crust.

Add the filling to the crust, top with the second crust: Spoon the berry mixture into the dough-lined pie dish. For a lattice top, weave strips of pie dough over the top of the fruit-filled pie dish. For a solid top, place the second rolled-out pie dough crust on top of the pie. Press ends of strips into the rim of the bottom crust. Use scissors to trim the edges to 1/2-inch from the outer edge of the pie pan. Fold the edges back over themselves and use your fingers to crimp to seal the edges. If you are using a solid top crust, score the top several times with a sharp knife to create air vents for the steam to escape.

Bake: Place the pie on the middle rack of the oven. Put a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any juices that might bubble out of the pie while it's cooking. Bake the pie in two stages. First bake it at 400°F for 30 minutes. Then place a sheet of aluminum foil over the pie to protect the edges and tops from getting too burnt. (A pie protector is quite useful here.) Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 30 minutes , or until the crust has browned and the filling is bubbly. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Cool completely before serving. Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!