Fresh Blackberry Mini Pies

Fresh Blackberry Mini Pies, the perfect mini pies filled with a fresh blackberry filling and then baked to perfection.  Looking for a fresh fruit dessert recipe?  This is it!

Last weekend was one of Italy’s biggest holidays, Ferragosto. This holiday has very antique origins.  It was created by the Emperor Augustus in 18 a.C. in Rome,  to celebrate the end of farm work and to honour the god of fertility and hearth, Conso.

Originally the Romans would start their celebrations on the 1st of August, but in reality they stopped working for almost the entire month of August.

Around the VII century, The Catholic church changed the holiday’s meaning and celebration to the Virgin Mary’s Assumption to Heaven. And the day was changed from the 1st to the 15th of August.

Even to this day most Italians close up shop and go on vacation for a big part of the month of August.

For the holiday we spent the day at our friends’ house in the country.  Surrounded by vineyards and a lovely blackberry vines,  which I noticed still had quite a few berries.

I could not let those berries go unobserved!   Non-chalantly,  I asked “please pretty please have them”?  I really needed to make some Blackberry Mini Pies.  I figured I could blackmail her by promising a Blackberry Tart or two!

Unfortunately they were not enough for what I had in mind, but the Italian reminded me that yes we have vines behind our vineyard too!  Believe me, ours were not nearly as neat as my friends’ vines.  

Our vines attack your every move.  Blackberry vines my friends are deadly!

Back in my Canadian life, I was always nominated the Pie and Tart baker for our family holiday get togethers. Since my arrival in Italy I haven’t given much attention to Pies.

When I saw those beautiful blackberries I decided I really needed to make some Blackberry Mini Pies.

Fresh Blackberry Mini Pies

I also knew that the perfect pastry would be my trusted Crostata Italian pastry. These Blackberry Mini Pies are loaded with blackberries and are absolutely delicious all on their own.  Enjoy!

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Fresh Blackberry Mini Pies

Fresh Blackberry Mini Pies, an easy homemade pie recipe. The best mini pie dessert made with a flaky pie pastry and delicious filling.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 10 servings

Calories 310kcal

Author Rosemary Molloy / An Italian in my Kitchen

Ingredients

• PASTRY
• 2 1/4 cups - 2 1/2 flour 225 grams
• 1/2 cup sugar 100 grams
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 grams
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup butter (room temperature) 125 grams
• BLACKBERRY FILLING
• 3 cups fresh black berries
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons flour
• juice from 1/2 lemon

Instructions

• PASTRY
• In a large bowl,gently whisk together flour (start with 2 1/4 cups),sugar and baking powder, create a well in the middle and add slightly beaten egg and yolk and butter cut into pieces. Mix together, at this point turn mixture onto a slightly floured surface and work the mixture to form a soft dough (it will take about 10 minutes for everything to come together to form a dough, it does seem crumbly at first but don't lose patience). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and knead the dough a couple of times to soften it up again on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/8" thickness. Place cut out dough into lightly greased tart pans.
• Pre-heat oven to 375° (190° celsius).
• In a medium - large bowl mix together blackberries, sugar, flour and lemon juice, squish gently with a fork while mixing (but do not squish berries completely). Add mixture to tart pans with dough, (I made 5 x 4 inch (10 centimeter) tart pans and 3 mini muffin tarts) fill to the top. Dot with a little butter (2 small dots per tart), top with leftover dough (strips or cut outs), do not completely cover because steam must be able to escape while baking. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 310kcal

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