This is the story of having “eyes bigger than my stomach.” One of my favorite breakfasts is a scoop of Greek yogurt topped with fresh blueberries. I’m a sucker for a sale at the market, but it’s hard to eat 2 lbs of blueberries faster than they ripen. That’s when this recipe comes in handy. Those not-so-perfect berries are perfect for a luscious pie filling, and the small hand pies can be frozen if there are leftovers. I want to give King Arthur Baking credit for the filling. It is the best I’ve had. And it works for blueberry pancakes too!

Six 3 x 4″ hand pies

Pastry (or use 2 stacked sheets of refrigerated pie crusts)

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Filling

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon of pectin (such as Suregel) or 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

For the Páte Brisée (pie dough that’s a little stronger)

1. Place flour and salt into a bowl and use a pastry knife to combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand (or use a food processor on pulses).
2. Slowly add in the water. Combine without overworking until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky (in the food processor, do not process for more than 30 seconds).
   To test, squeeze a small amount together. If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Divide in 2 and form flat rectangles; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least an hour. Don’t skip the chilling!
4. Make the filling while you wait.

For the Filling: 

1. Rinse and drain the berries.
2. In a small saucepan (no heat), whisk the berries with the sugar and pectin.
3. Add the salt and lemon juice, stirring to combine.
4. Move the saucepan and bring to medium, stirring until the liquid comes to a slight simmer. As the berries soften, use the back of a spoon to mash 1/3-1/2 of the berries
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the heat–the mixture can quickly burn.
6. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. (It’s fine to make the filling beforehand and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.)

Assemble the Pies

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the chilled pie dough on a flat surface dusted with flour.
3. Let the dough warm up for a bit (around 20-40 minutes) until it can be rolled without cracking. If it’s too warm, it will stick to the rolling pin.
4. Starting at the center and working outward, roll in short strokes, rotating frequently until it becomes easier to roll.
5. Roll each rectangle of dough into two 9” x 8” rectangles. With a bench scraper or pastry wheel, cut 3” x 4” rectangles.
6. Dab a 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling into the center 6 of the rectangles, Brush the edges with some of the beaten egg.
7. Cut 2 slits into each of the remaining 6 rectangles.
8. Place the rectangles over the filled bases and press along the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
9. Brush the top of each pie with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
10. Place pies on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes
11. Preheat the oven to 425°F; place a rack on the middle shelf.
12. Transfer the pies to the parchment-lined baking sheet. 
    the pies become sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate them for about 20 minutes, until firm.
13. Bake the pies for 18- 20 minutes until they’re a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

An optional topping is a glaze

Mix 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk in a bowl until smooth and creamy. You can flavor by replacing 1 tablespoon with lemon juice or switch out some of the milk for 1/2 teaspoon with vanilla extract. If it is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. Drizzle over cooled hand pies.

As I mentioned, any leftover filling can be refrigerated and used for blueberry pancakes!