"One of the nicest things in life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."
~ Luciano Pavarotti

Blackberry Cobbler

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Pastry for 1 pie:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick butter or margarine at room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
3 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling:

4 cups blackberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup water
1/4 stick butter or margarine

Prepare pastry: Put flour, salt, butter, and shortening into a bowl and mix with pastry mixer or with fork until shortening is the size of small peas. Add ice water and mix to pastry consistency. Refrigerate while preparing filling. (Substitute one partially thawed Pets frozen pie shell if desired).

Wash and cap berries; drain. Combine berries, sugar, flour, and water, and place in oven-proof baking dish.

Roll out pastry on floured board and cut into 3/4" strips. Place small side pieces of pastry into berry mixture. Arrange rest of pastry strips on top of berries in a criss-cross fashion and top with dots of butter or margarine, sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake at 400° until crust is golden brown. Serve hot with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Raspberries, dewberries, or boysenberries may be substituted for blackberries.