Triple Barry Pie

I'm a fan of most berries, but not of blueberries I must admit. First of all, they look purple to me so I feel like I'm being lied to. And then there is the smell - yuck. Nevertheless, this recipe is a blue (not purple) ribbon winner from Bon Appetit, July 2002  and is brought here today courtesy of Lori B. A friend and neighbor in our under urban small town that I often describe as Mayberry meets Peyton Place. Discovering Lori's baking talents was a bit like finding buried treasure. She always brings a spectacular star spangled concoction to our annual 4th of July fireworks party that puts to shame anything I make. Now, we have firmly established that I am no baker (see Cooking With Alice Everyone can't be George Washington Apple Crumble and You Can't Win Them All). Blueberries,  raspberries and blackberries -the delicious looking picture says it all - a treat for any pie hole.

Wallace Berry, Barbara Barrie, Ken Berry, the entire Barrymore clan - yes, all fine upstanding barry varieties. Yet, three Barry's standout as defining my youth: Barry Williams, Barry Manilow and Barry Gibb. Not that I don't love me some Barry White or Barry Bostwick {who I once rode on a plane with from Detroit to NYC  and he's very tall), mind you. First up, Barry Williams aka Greg Brady. Eldest of the Brady six and the moral compass of the brood.  If you don't ask yourself "what would Greg Brady do?" at least once a day you may not be living right. Next is of course Barry Manilow - he writes the songs that makes the whole world sing - and that's a huge responsibility. And last but by no means least, is Barry Gibb. Bee Gees mastermind who wrote the most iconic song of an era on a airplane cocktail napkin (if you have to ask, you shouldn't be reading this). All three in one way or another made my 70's playlist what is today. You are once, twice, three times a Barry, and I love you.


The Recipe:

Crust
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 tablespoons (about) ice water

Topping
6 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
6 tablespoons whole almonds
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 1/2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
4 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 cups assorted fresh berries (such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries; about 8 ounces of each)

Preparation
For crust:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 5 tablespoons ice water and process until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.

For topping:
Combine all ingredients in processor. Process until moist clumps form. (Dough and topping can be made 1 day ahead. Cover topping and chill; keep dough chilled. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

For filling:
Mix sugar, tapioca, and lemon juice in large bowl. Add berries and toss gently to combine. Let stand until tapioca softens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 15-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim dough overhang to 1 inch. Fold overhang under and crimp decoratively, forming high-standing rim (which I think is the exact instruction Barry Manilow gave to his plastic surgeon). Freeze crust 20 minutes.

Spoon filling into crust. Crumble topping evenly over filling. Bake pie until crust and topping are golden brown and filling is bubbling, covering loosely with sheet of foil if topping browns too quickly, about 55 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool at least 3 hours. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Cut pie into wedges and serve.