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!
- 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
- 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!
Karen says
Can you use frozen blabkberry’s? And does it change the receipt?
Rosemary says
Hi Karen, sure no problem, just don’t thaw completely before baking, the pie may also need 5-10 minutes extra to bake. Hope that helps.
Sarah says
I couldn’t find on the recipe how many mini pies this yields– how many can I expect from this recipe? Thanks!
Rosemary says
Hi Sarah, sorry you missed it, but if you look in the recipe directions (under pre-heat oven) I wrote that I got 5 4 inch tarts and 3 mini muffin tarts, but I think if you did all mini muffin tarts you could probably get about 12 or even 6 – 8 medium muffin tarts. Hope that helps.
Paula says
Can I add a little bit of bourbon to the recipe?
Rosemary says
Hi Paula sounds good let me know how it goes. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Kristen Chidsey says
Rosemary–stunning pie and I love learning more about history. In fact, I read this to my kids just now for a mini history lesson 🙂
Rosemary says
Thanks Kristen, I hope your kids liked the history lesson 🙂
Sydni says
Can the dough stay in the fridge for longer than 30 minutes?
Rosemary says
Hi Sydni, sure just make sure you let it soften up a bit before rolling.
Pie Rivera says
How I wish I could bake this now! Haven’t been baking for sometime but I will be saving this. Your food shots are gorgeous, as always 🙂
Rosemary says
Hi Pie, thanks a lot, hop you enjoy it.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
Your tarts are adorable and they look delicious. I like the idea of tarts like muffins you can grab a dessert and make a quick getaway. Thank you for sharing!!