tri-berry pie

i love baking pies.  pies are one of my favorite desserts to make because it's nearly impossibly to mess up a pie.  the other day i decided to make a tri-berry pie because we had lots of fruit in our fridge that only had a few days left before it was going to turn.  i knew we wouldn't be able to eat all of that fruit and i didn't want it to get thrown away.  so, i did something that i've become very good at: taking something healthy and turning it into something totally and completely unhealthy.  i make my pie crusts because it's so easy, but if you prefer to buy your pie crusts, you can still use this recipe.  i also made a lattice top to my pie, but if you'd prefer to have a top crust on your pie, that's fine too.  finally, you can use any berries that you prefer.  so, as you can see, this is a very versatile pie and it's SO SUPER EASY!

for the crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/4-1/2 cup ice water

there are two tricks to an easy pie crust.  first, make sure your butter and water are as cold as you can get them.  second, make sure that you use lots of flour on your counter and your rolling pin when you go to roll it out.  the flour will prevent the dough from sticking to any surface.  i use my mixer when i make pie dough, but you can easily make it with your hands or a dough-cutter if you don't have a mixer.

combine the flour and butter pieces in the mixer and mix on low until it has a grainy texture. add the ice water a small bit at at time while still mixing.  you want to add enough water that you can press the dough between your fingers.  if you add too much it'll be sticky and have a spiky look to it.  you'll know when your dough is ready because it will start to pull of the sides of the bowl.

once your dough is ready, separate it into two equal lumps, wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least 30 min.

for the filling:
2 cups blackberries
2 cups strawberries (sliced)
2 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

preheat oven to 350
combine sugar, flour and cinnamon and mix together.  put 1/3 of the mixture aside in a bowl.
combine all 3 berries into a big bowl and add the remaining dry mixture.  toss the berries so that they are completely coated (make sure to toss well because a lot of the dry mixture will fall to the bottom of the bowl).

take your dough out of the fridge and roll it out until it's about 1/4 in. thick.  place one of the doughs into your pie dish and press down along the sides and bottom.  add the 1/3 of the dry mixture that you reserved to the bottom of the pie.  add the berry mixture to that. using the other rolled out dough. cut strips with a pie cutter (or a knife).  before making your lattice, cut the 2 tbs butter into thin squares and place it on top of the pie filling.  using the strips, lattice the top of the pie by creating a woven pattern. makes sure to seal the ends of the lattice to the edge of the other pie dough by pressing it between your fingers.

put pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 45-55 min, or until the crust is a golden brown

shrimp and farro salad

well school is finally out and I will have so much more time to make some eb posts.  my mom actually texted me the other day and asked if i had made a post since eggplant parm.  she thought perhaps her computer wasn't working correctly.  in actuality, i just haven't posted in ages and i'm excited to be back!

andy introduced me to farro a few weeks ago, and i've been obsessed with it ever since.  you can find it in the rice or pasta isle (where you would get risotto or quinoa).  i don't know exactly what it is (some kind of grain) but it has a yummy nutty flavor and a rissottoessque texture.  delish!

when this months' food network magazine arrived in the mail and they had a recipe for a farro salad, i was excited to try it out.  i added shrimp since we were eating it as a meal and not as a side. the salad is scrumptious, and i actually think the lemon zest is the secret to bringing the whole dish together (so don't leave it out!).  we had organic sauteed squash and zucchini from our garden on the side.  it was the perfect meal to eat on a 100 degree day.  very light and totally refreshing.  give it a try!

shrimp and farro salad (adapted from food network's farro and corn salad)

ingreidents:

1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 cup farro
olive oil
3 ears of corn
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 scallions, sliced
salt and pepper
1 bunch arugula, chopped
1 tsp grated lemon zest
juice of one lemon

to prepare

clean shrimp and season them with salt and pepper
cook farro according to box directions
while farro is cooking, slice corn off the cob, half the tomatoes, and slice the scallions and set aside.
heat a pan on med heat with olive oil.  cook shrimp until pink all the way through and set aside
once farro is finished cooking, put it in a strainer and run it under cold water.  set it aside in a salad bowl and mix it with salt, pepper, and 2 tbs olive oil. add in the shrimp and toss.
meanwhile, heat a pan with olive oil and add corn.  cook for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally
add tomatoes and scallions, cooking for about 3 more minutes.  add salt and pepper to taste.
add veggies to the shrimp and farro mixture and toss.  add the arugula, lemon zest, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper if needed.  toss until combined. can be served hot or cold.