Raspberry Nectarine Pie

J's favorite dessert is a Raspberry Pie. He asked me for one this weekend. This never happens so I obliged speedily. But I, of course, had to mix it up a little and add some nectarines in the mix. The real Raspberry Pie is baking today, but the Raspberry Nectarine was last night's masterpiece. J picked up some Vanilla Gelato from Cafe Glace and we (the inseparable four who share a common goal of 806 E. Washington Street) snarfed it down while watching "Not Francy" get stuck for $15,000 on Weeds. It was a good night. (Might have been better if I would have had a baby).

Recipe: (For Crust)
2 1/2 cups Organic, Unbleached Flour
1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (cubed, cold)
1/2 Stick Earth Balance Shortening (cold)
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp (+) cold water

Put all ingredients into a mixer or food processor and mix/pulse until the mix is mealy with some pea-sized buttery lumps. Then add the 5 tablespoons of water and stir or mix until just combined (do not over mix). The dough should stick together. If not, add another tablespoon of water and mix a little. Repeat if you have the same issue. Once dough sticks together (but isn't sticky) separate it into 6 parts on a piece of large wax paper. Push in a forward motion on all six parts to spread the fat out a little. Then mix all parts back together into one ball. Last, separate into two balls, wrap each ball in wax paper and let chill in fridge for an hour.

Filling:
3 organic nectarines (cut into 1/2 inch wedges)
2 cups of organic raspberries
1/2 lemon squeezed for juice
1/8 cup granulated quick-cooking tapioca pearls
1/8 cup corn starch
3/4 cup sugar

Throw the nectarines and raspberries in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Whisk the tapioca, starch and sugar in another small bowl.

Preheat oven to 425. After an hour of refrigeration, pull out the dough balls and roll them out on a lightly floured piece of parchment with a lightly floured rolling pin. Once you roll your pastry balls out, mix the fruit with the sugar mixture and have ready to go. Put one rolled-out piece of dough in the bottom of the pie pan. It works well if there is about 1/2 inch of dough around the edges after you fit it in place in the pie pan. Pour fruit filling in dish. Cut the other rolled-out pie dough disc into long strips and weave it on the top of the pie filling. Mush all the dough that hangs over the edge with your fingers into some kind of orderly shape.

Bake the pie on a piece of foil for 20 minutes at 425. Then turn the oven down to 375. Lightly cover the pie with foil so your crust doesn't burn and bake for another 40-60 minutes. You know what a pie looks like. So, when it looks done you should pull it out. Let it cool for an hour or two. Serve warm with Vanilla Gelato. Yum.