Blueberry Pie & Tarts

For the Pastry
Sift 6 cups cake & pastry flour with 1 teaspoon salt, cut in 1 cup cold butter, diced, and 1 cup lard. Separately, beat one egg, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 1 cup cold water - cut into flour mixture. When dough forms, divide into four equal balls, wrap in wax paper, flatten, then let it rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

(Sometimes, 

before letting it rest 

I roll out the dough, 

folding over a few times 

as if making puff pastry.)

For the Filling
In a saucepan combine 1kg frozen blueberries and 1 cup granulated sugar. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of cornstarch in 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and zest from one lemon - pour over the blueberries and sugar. Heat at medium, stirring regularly, until mixture bubbles gently and thickens.
Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until combined. Allow to cool before filling pastry.

This recipe makes two pies - or one pie and twelve tarts, with plenty of pastry to decorate with.

Hand cut leaf decorations are about the only thing I know how to do. Years ago I tired of the plain pinched crust, so slapped on a few nicely arranged leaves and voila - a crust I'm happy with. I've made them for as long as I can remember, and don't know anything else. Oh sure, a cookie cutter will do, but there's just not a lot of creativity in that. I'd like to come up with something new some day...
This blueberry pie started out pinched, then a few leaves were added - originally I had planned to decorate the whole thing with delicate little leaves and berries, but quickly grew weary of cutting leaves (after cutting so many flowers for the tart shells) so I finished the pie off with some silly cinnamon stars. That's just how I bake sometimes.. :)