There are plenty of fakes out there—counterfeit money, knock-off Vouis Luitton handbags, imitation crab. Now fake lattice can join the shrewd ranks of imposters, too. There’s no forgery or surgical augmentation required to achieve this classic basket motif, and best of all, no actual weaving, either! With a mere sleight of hand, you too can produce a copycat lattice to auction on the black market. Just remember to I low and sell pie.
2 disks Butterfly Pea Flower Pie Dough
NECTARINE BLACKBERRY FILLING
2 pounds (907 grams/about 6) nectarines, pitted and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups (11 ounces/312 grams) fresh or frozen blackberries
1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (38 grams) tapioca starch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
FAKE LATTICE DESIGN NEEDS
Parchment paper
Letter I cutter
Paring knife
1. On a floured surface, roll 1 dough disk into a 13-inch circle. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unfurl it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Punch out a patterned row, alternating between 3 vertical I’s and 3 horizontal I’s, using a ruler as a straight line guide.
2. Slide a flat baking sheet under the parchment and place the perforated pie top in the freezer until frozen solid, about 20 minutes.
3. Roll the second dough disk into a 14-inch circle. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unfurl it over a 9-inch pie pan. Taking the edges of the dough, gently ease the dough into the tin, nestling it into the inner elbows of the pie pan. Trim the excess dough with kitchen shears to create a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang back under, creating an elevated edge.
4. To make the nectarine blackberry filling, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and gently fold with a spatula to coat the fruit in the dry mix.
5. Scoop the filling into the pie shell. Use a small pastry brush to lightly dab water around the edge of the dough.
6. Remove the frozen pie top from the freezer, pick it up as one solid piece, and lay it centered on the surface of your filled pie. Let it sit for a few minutes to thaw slightly and settle. Press to seal the edges and trim with a paring knife to create a clean edge.
7. Chill the entire pie in the freezer until the oven has come to temperature. The pie can be frozen until solid before baking or simply chilled through, about 20 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
9. When the oven comes to temperature, remove the pie from the freezer and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
10. Bake for 25 minutes, then rotate the pie 180 degrees and lower the oven temperature to 350°F. If the edges are already brown, cover with a shield. If the top begins to brown excessively, rest a sheet of foil lightly on top. Continue baking until the filling is bubbling in the center, checking every 30 minutes to rotate the pie and adjust the shields as necessary, 75 to 90 total minutes. (If baking from frozen, add 30 to 45 minutes to the bake time.)
11. Cool the pie completely on a rack before slicing and serving.
SUGGESTED SUBSTITUTIONS
Dough alternatives: Basic, Beet, Black Sesame, Blueberry, Butterfly Pea Flower, Carrot, Cornflower, Dragon Fruit
NOTE
Use the pointy end of a chopstick to gently nudge the dough out of the letter cutter onto a sheet of parchment. These can be baked at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes and tossed in cinnamon sugar as tiny snacks.