Bloody, Black, & Blue NFL Mini Pies

In the market for a pastry "finger food"?  Filled with blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, yesterday's Super Bowl mini pies could just as easily double as a 4th-of-July summertime treat.  They're tart, a little sweet, and can take the pain out of an unexpected sack or interception. 

And while you may not consider Elvis Costello to be a traditional pairing with American prime-time sporting events, I just have to pair these petit pastries with "Pump it Up", a track from his 1978 album, This Year's Model.  These pies are some hot little numbers. 

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Crust:

--1 1/4 c. cake flour

--1/2 c. chilled butter

--2 heaping tbsp. granulated sugar

--pinch of salt

--1/4 c. ice-cold vodka (replacing the ice water with vodka is an idea I got from a pie crust recipe at the Volunteer Park Cafe in Seattle, WA--it evaporates more quickly than the water during baking, making the crust even flakier)

(When making these for the Super Bowl yesterday, I doubled the recipe--if you want 24 pies instead of 12, double everything!)

Measure flour into a large bowl and stir in salt and sugar.  Cut in butter (see closer instructions for this in my Hot Buttered Rum Pecan Pie recipe post).  Then add ice-cold vodka (as with the water typically used for pie crust, I keep mine in the freezer before use; vodka won't freeze!).  Knead the dough until all ingredients are combined, and then store in refrigerator until ready to use.  

To make the crusts, use a 5-inch-diameter cookie cutter and a 2-inch-diameter cookie cutter.  Flour a work surface, roll dough to a thin pie crust (approx. 1/8" thick), and cut 12 of the 5-inch circles (pie bottoms) and 12 of the 2-inch circles (pie tops).  

Butter the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan.  Then, cut 6"x1" strips of parchment paper and place them in the muffin cups, allowing the edges to hang over the edges of the muffin cups (this is an idea I got from Giada's "Baby pie" recipe, and it works amazingly well).  Using these strips will allow you to remove the mini pies easily after you've baked them.  Next, press the 5" circles into the muffin cups, on top of the parchment strips (remember, make sure the parchment strips are still hanging over the edges so that you can grab them and pluck the mini pies out once they're done!).  Next, add the filling.

Filling:

--8 oz. washed and cut raspberries

--8 oz. washed and cut blackberries

--8 oz. washed blueberries (don't try to cut these)

--1/4 c. light brown sugar

--1 tsp. allspice

--1 tsp. cinnamon

--1 tbsp. cornstarch

This filling is tart--just sweet enough (if you like your fruit pies on the sweeter side, double the amount of brown sugar).  In a large bowl, combine fruit, brown sugar, allspice, and cinnamon.  Whisk in the cornstarch until blended.  Measure about 2 tbsp. filling into each muffin cup.  

Then press the 2" circles onto the tops, and use a fork to seal the edges.  

Extras:

--1 egg

--3 tbsp. sugar in the raw

Before baking, make an egg wash: whisk an egg in a small bowl until combined.  Lightly brush egg wash over the top of each mini pie, and then sprinkle with sugar in the raw.  Bake for approx. 20 minutes, or until tops and edges are golden.  Allow to cool, and then remove from muffin cups using parchment strips.  Serve!