Blueberry Pie

Place a baking sheet into the oven and preheat the oven to 220° C.

Filling

In a non-stick saucepan, add the water and sugar and gradually stir in the cornflour.

Heat quickly, stirring constantly, until the mixture just begins to thicken, then remove from the heat and continue stirring until everything is smoothly combined, then set aside to cool. Be warned that if this is heated too much it will almost become solid. When cooled, mix in the lemon juice and then, using a large bowl, carefully combine with the blueberries.

Pastry

Sieve the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl.

Cut the cold margarine into small cubes and add to the flour.

Rub the margarine into the flour until the texture resembles breadcrumbs.

Using a fork, beat together the egg, and lemon juice.

Using the blade of a large flat knife, mix the beaten egg and 1 tbspn of cold water into the flour and combine into a soft dough, adding a little more cold water as needed to ‘bring the dough together’ finally completing the task using your hands. Take care to handle the dough as little as possible (see note 3).

Split the pastry into 2 pieces and roll out one piece on a floured surface large enough to fill an approx 8 inch (20 cm) diameter, 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep pie tin.

Line the pie tin with the pastry and trim off the excess.

Spoon the blueberry filling into the pie tin.

Roll out the second piece of pastry so it will cover the pie tin.

Brush a little milk onto the edge of the pie base and add the pie crust pressing the edges together. Then trim off the excess.

Using a fork press the edge of the pie crust onto the pie base to form a seal.

If desired cut some thin shapes from the remaining pastry and add to the top of the pie as decoration, ‘sticking’ them with a little milk.

Sprinkle with a little caster sugar and cut a few vents to allow steam to escape during baking.