Strawberries are in season so it’s time to get out the recipes to use these scrumptious berries. Of course, you can buy strawberries anytime of the year but this is the best time because they are the sweetest and tastiest.
As a child we would go pick berries from a nearby farm. We had to find ways to serve them and strawberry pie was one of the easiest. It showcases the berries and the fresh flavor.
Ingredients (One 9 in. pie)
Crust
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 stick butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 tbsp ice water
- 1/2 tbsp vinegar
Filling
- 5 1/2 cups strawberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup water
Directions
To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Cut the butter into quarters and then into cubes. Add the cold butter to the food processor. (Photo A) Pulse until the mixture resembles course crumbs. With my food processor this was about 10 pulses.
Photo A
Photo B
Combine the ice water and vinegar and pour 1/2 of the mixture into the food processor and pulse 3 - 4 times. Pour in the remaining 1/2 and pulse just until the mixture comes together.This took about 8 pulses with my food processor. (Photo B)
Photo C
Photo D
Photo E
Turn the dough out and pat into a round disc shape. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes. (Photo C) This helps the butter become very cold again so you will have a flaky crust.
Photo F
Photo G
Roll the dough with a wooden rolling pin into a circle that is larger than the pie plate. (Photo D) Carefully roll the dough onto the rolling pin and place in the pan.(Photo E) Trim the excess dough (Photo F) and crimp the edges. (Photo G)
Bake the crust in a 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Let the crust cool completely.
Photo H
Photo J
To make the filling, wash the berries and dry completely. Hull and slice the all the berries. Crush 1 1/2 cups of strawberries in a saucepan. (Photo H) Use your potato masher or a fork to crush the berries. Add the 1 cup of water and cook for 2-3 minutes on the stove. Drain and mash the berries in a strainer and reserve the juice. (Photo J) Discard the mashed berries.
Photo K
Photo L
Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add the juice and heat until thickened. (Photo K) Stir continuously to create a smooth glaze. (Photo L) Once the glaze is thickened, remove from the heat.
Place 2 cups strawberries in the crust and cover with 1/2 the glaze. Place the remaining strawberries and glaze in the shell. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve with whipped cream.
