Roasted blueberries are pictured in a cup next to a blueberry pie in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Joanna Markell rinses blueberries to roast in the oven in her home in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Joanna Markell squeezes lemon juice over blueberries to roast in the oven in her home in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Joanna Markell cuts a slice of blueberry pie in her home in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Joanna Markell's blueberry pie is pictured in her home in Yakima, Wash., on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Joanna Markell sprinkles brown sugar over blueberries to roast in the oven in her home in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Roasted blueberries are pictured in a cup next to a blueberry pie in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Joanna Markell cuts a slice of blueberry pie in her home in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Joanna Markell's blueberry pie is pictured in her home in Yakima, Wash., on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Joanna Markell sprinkles brown sugar over blueberries to roast in the oven in her home in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

It’s fruit season in the Yakima Valley, which also means it is pie season.

While we are at the tail end of peach season and are now into apples, I am still stuck on blueberries after a productive evening at the Cowiche Creek U-pick farm about a month ago. We ended up with 11 pounds of Duke blueberries, most of which I will freeze for the winter. It seemed terrible not to use some now, though, and a pie is an excellent way to use up a bounty of fruit.

Joanna Markell squeezes lemon juice over blueberries to roast in the oven in her home in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

While Cowiche Creek’s U-pick has closed for the season, you still may be able to find blueberries at their self-serve stands. The West Valley U-Pick also has a reliable blueberry patch, but check ahead of time.

Also, if you are adventurous, you still might find a few wild huckleberries in the high Cascades if you know where to go. I spotted some hiking over the weekend.

If you have a surplus of fruit and aren’t enthusiastic about the challenge of rolling out pie dough, I’m also sharing a simple recipe for roasted blueberries. This is essentially the inside of a blueberry pie without the dough, and is excellent on yogurt, pound cake or pancakes. You can use a mix of berries, or throw in a peach or nectarine.

Joanna Markell rinses blueberries to roast in the oven in her home in Yakima, Wash., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

Double-crust pie dough (see below)

6 cups blueberries, rinsed and picked over

3 tablespoons potato starch or Minute tapioca (pulverize the tapioca in a food processor if you can, but if can’t don’t sweat it)

Sugar and milk or egg white

1. Heat oven to 500 degrees with a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest position.

2. Roll out one disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Ease the dough into the pan, and leave the dough that overhangs the edge. Refrigerate the dough-lined plate.

3. Combine the berries, 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar, lemon juice and zest, spices and starch or tapioca in a medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.

4. Roll out the second piece of dough into a 12-inch circle. Cut slits so air can escape. (I do this before placing it on top; others do it after.)

5. Spoon berry mixture into the pie shell, and scatter pieces of butter on top.

6. Place the second piece of dough on top. Trim the top and bottom edges to 1/2-inch beyond the edge of the plate. Fold the rim of dough under so the folded edge is flush with the pan lip. Press the edges to seal.

7. Brush with egg white or milk and sprinkle with sugar.

8. Place the pie on the baking sheet and lower the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until the top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate the pie and reduce until oven temperature is 375 degrees.

Continue baking until the juices inside are bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes longer. Place foil on the edges if it looks too brown. Make sure the juices are bubbling in the center.

9. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.

Makes enough dough for 1 double-crust or two single-crust pies

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1. Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles course meal.

2. With machine running, add ice water in a steady stream. Pulse until the dough pulls together without being wet and sticky. To test, squeeze the dough together.

3. Divide the dough into two balls. Cover in plastic wrap and flatten into discs. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

1 1/4 cups blueberries, roasted and drained

Squeeze of lemon juice and/or zest

1. Grease a baking dish with oil spray or butter.

2. Add the blueberries and the brown sugar. Stir to combine in the dish.

3. Roast in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, stirring a few times. Mash the berries a bit so it becomes jammy.

Serve with pancakes, yogurt, pound cake or anything else.

You can use a mix of berries, and can also add in peaches or nectarines.

• Use ice water in the crust.

• Refrigerate the dough, flattened into s disc, before rolling it out. The dough is easier to handle this way, and the flour has time to hydrate.

• You want the filling of a fruit pie to be bubbling in the center before taking it out. I gave my blueberry pie another 10 minutes in the oven to make sure it was cooked in the center.

• Place foil around the edges of the pie if it starts to brown too much.

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