When Christiane Schull was growing up in Rosemere, Que., in the '60s, her mother, Helen Gougeon, was food columnist for The Canadian magazine. "Dinner was always splendid -- an event. For my mother, food was a symbol of sustenance, comfort and happiness. I learned a lot from being in the kitchen with her. I adopted her way of using herbs and spices, adding a bit of this, a bit of that. And everything ends up tasting wonderful, just like hers. A lot of my friends hate to cook. They remember horrible meals - fish every Friday, macaroni on Monday and mushy vegetables. I don't have those memories. I have a joyful feel. That's what Mom gave me. A legacy of good cooking and fun. We all especially loved her wild blueberry tart. Even the crust was super on its own."
Ingredients
Crust:
Filling:
Method
Crust: In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly. Pat firmly in even layer over bottom and up sides of 10-inch (25 cm) flan or quiche pan with removable base, or 1/2 inch (1 cm) up side of same-size pie plate. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden.
Filling: Reserve 2 cups (500 mL) of the berries. Combine sugar with flour and cinnamon. In large bowl, lightly toss sugar mixture with remaining berries. Spoon into crust; cover edges of crust with strips of foil. Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is bubbling and crust is golden brown.
Let cool on rack. Just before serving, remove sides of pan, transfer to serving plate and pour reserved berries evenly over pie. Using sieve, dust surface evenly with icing sugar.
