Pi(e) Day ~ Mixed Berry Slab Pie

Welcome to Pi(e) Day hosted by Terri from Love and Confections! Pi Day is celebrated every March 14 by math fans around the world - and also bakers and pastry chefs. Pi is an non-repeating, infinite number represented by the Greek letter π, and used to represent the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Today, March 14, 2015, is an extra special Pi Day, because at 9:26:53 AM it creates the "Pi Moment of the Century". The first ten digits of Pi are 3.141592653 (3/14/15, 9:26 AM and 53 seconds). This exact date and time happens once every hundred years - a once in a lifetime moment for most of us. How cool is that? Today, 20 Food Bloggers have gathered and want to celebrate the fun of Pi by creating their own sweet and savory pies to share with you. We hope you have a delicious day!

This is a slab pie - a pie cooked in a jelly roll pan instead of a traditional pie pan, and it was wonderful! The recipe is simple with just a few ingredients for each component, and it comes together to make a rustic, delicious dessert. I adore mixed berry pies - a wonderful combination of textures, tang, and sweet surrounded by tender, flaky pie crust. Serve this warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a perfect ending to the day.

I was reminiscing about the last mixed berry pie I made quite awhile ago, and my son was making a comment about remembering disliking the seeds. I felt quite vindicated when he took a bite of the slice I cut above and subsequently oohed, ahhhed and said he didn't care at all that there were seeds to contend with!

This is a terrific, easy recipe and I know we will be enjoying it again - plus it was a perfect excuse to get a new kitchen tool. I have 2 older cookie sheets and I could have used one of them which does have a 1" side, but the recipe specifically called for a 15x10x1-inch baking pan, so I ordered the one I linked below and now officially own a jelly roll pan!

Enjoy a slice from the Pi(e) Day Bloggers:

• Apple Pear Pie with Crumble Topping from Baking and Creating with Avril
• Apple Rhubarb Strawberry Pie from Food Lust People Love
• Buffalo Chicken Shepherd's Pie from Healthy. Delicious.
• Chocolate Mousse Pie from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chocolate Silk Pie from Famished Fish, Finicky Shark
• Coconut-Pistachio Pie from The Spiffy Cookie
• Curried Lamb Potpie from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Fresh Strawberry Pie from Taste Cook Sip
• Hillbilly Apple Pie from My Catholic Kitchen
• Kentucky Derby Pie from Kelli's Kitchen
• Mixed Berry Slab Pie from Making Miracles
• Peach-Blueberry Pie from The Redhead Baker
• Salted Honey Pie from girlichef
• Sicilian Ricotta Pie from Cake Duchess
• S'Mores Brownie Pie from Cheese Curd in Paradise
• Strawberry Daiquiri Pie from Love and Confections
• Thin Mint Pie from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Top Secret Derby Pie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Triple Berry Pot Pie from {i love} my disorganized life
• Vegetable Pot Pie from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Mixed Berry Slab Pie adapted from BHG and Inspired by Charm

Pastry Dough:
1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening (I usually use butter flavored Crisco sticks)
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup cold water

Filling:
8 cups frozen mixed berries
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 TBS lemon juice

Topping:
1 egg white
1 TBS water
1/2 - 1 TBS granulated sugar

Directions

For Pie Crust:

1. Mix shortening, flour, and salt together with a fork or a pastry blender until very crumbly. Add as much water as needed to hold together, and mix lightly with a fork. Gather flour mixture into a ball, kneading gently until it holds together. Divide into 2 uneven balls; one ball should contain two-thirds of the pastry. Cover; set aside. 

For Berry Filling:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine filling ingredients. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly flour the counter and roll out the larger ball of dough and then carefully invert into a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Press pastry gently up sides of pan.
3. Spoon filling evenly over pastry. Lightly flour counter again (if needed) and roll remaining pastry to a 16x11-inch rectangle. Gently lay over the filling and crimp and seal the edges. Prick pastry in a few places with a fork to vent. 
4. In a small bowl whisk together egg white and 1 TBS water. Brush pastry with egg white mixture and sprinkle top of pie with 1/2 - 1 TBS granulated sugar.
5. Place pie in preheated oven, and put a larger cookie tray beneath to catch any drips from the berry filling.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown. Cool completely in the pan on wire rack before slicing and serving (to allow the filling mixture to set).