Fresh Strawberry Pie. Cry For Your Momma.
It's almost strawberry season. Yeah, man.
Well, it is strawberry season in some areas down South, and in just a few weeks, fresh strawberries will be ready for pickin' here in the Midwest.
But, already, our grocery store is brimming with fresh quarts of strawberries, and they're on sale and OH HOW I LOVE STRAWBERRIES and the word SALE together!
So, today, I'm sharing with you my ALL-TIME favorite strawberry recipe.
Strawberry Pie.
This is my sister's recipe for Strawberry Pie, and it is THE BEST strawberry pie I have ever tasted. It's fresh and delicious and it will make you weep. It's that good.
The BEST thing about this recipe, besides the fact that it will knock the socks off of your taste buds, is that it's only five ingredients.
FIVE INGREDIENTS.
So, it's easy. Easy, easy, easy. But, it also means that the strawberries get to take center stage - where they belong. Forever and ever.
Since strawberries are a most stunning shade of red, and I love cooking and baking with my bff (aka SeƱor Nikon Short Stop), I brought him along while I made this beeeeeautiful pie last week.
But, I also wanted to photograph and share the process with you because even if you have never made a pie before in your life, you can make this one - and I want to show you how truly easy it is!
SO, here we go! (full recipe below)
First, you need about two pounds of strawberries. Cut the green tops out of them (I think that's called hulling or somethin'), and place half of them on a cutting board/mat.
Thinly slice your beeeeautiful strawberries.
Then, turn them and chop them into small pieces. (I would normally use my food processor for this and would chop them to smithereens. But, since I know not everyone owns a food processor, I want to show you that you can most surely make this recipe without one.)
You then have a perfect pile of chopped strawberries.
Place the chopped strawberries into a saute pan. Or pot. Or whatever suits your fancy.
Add one cup of sugar combined with three tablespoons of corn starch. (If your strawberries are very ripe, you might need less sugar. But, one cup should do just fine.)
Cook strawberries and sugar/cornstarch on medium heat. The strawberries will begin to break down. Or break dance. Somethin' like that.
Meanwhile, take one of these beauties.
Cut it in half and add the juice of one half to the pan. Save the other half. You'll be wantin' to make this pie again tomorrow. Because there will be none left at the end of the day.
Using a whisk, crush strawberries as they soften and continue cooking on low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
You want a glossy, thick sauce that will stick to your whisk a bit. If it all falls off, keep on a cookin'. This is what the finished sauce should do. Hang on to the whisk for a minute, then give up and join its friends.
Now, you may stop here and call 'er a day. Because this sauce is perfect on everything from waffles to pancakes to french toast or dribbled over vanilla ice cream. So, pack it up if you want. 'Cause you've just made killer strawberry topping.
But, I like pie crust as much as I like this sauce. I'm addicted to carbs. So, let's continue on.
Take the other half of the strawberries...
And, cut them in half. Only half. No chopping or cutting them smaller. Unless you have the mother of all strawberries in your container, then you may cut it three times. BUT, step away from the knife. You want large pieces. You'll see why in a minute.
I may have eaten a few of these. I may not have been able to help myself.
Add the halved (and ONLY halved) strawberries to the sauce.
Combine with a spoonula thingy.
Look! Just look at those strawberries swimmin' in that sauce. Drool.
A few of these never made it to the pie. Grabbed a spoon and had a little tasting party.
Once the sauce is finished, you take a pie crust and line a pie plate with it. (I make my own crust, but one from the frozen section of the grocery store works just dandy.) Flute the edges and prick it all over with a fork about 40 times.
Then line the pie crust with foil, gently pressing it around the inside of the pie shell, and fill it with dried beans. Bake it for 10 minutes at 425 degrees.
Remove pie crust from oven. The crust will be partially baked. No brown edges yet. Remove foil and beans, and bake for 5 more minutes.
You end up with a perfectly baked pie crust.
With perfectly golden brown edges.
Pour the strawberry pie filling into your perfectly baked crust. If there's any left, that is. Chill your pie for about 2 hours. If you can wait that long.
And, VOILA!
A beautiful, deeeeeelicous, fresh, easy strawberry pie. Isn't that color just amazing? Pure freshness, goodness, strawberry-ness. And, nothin' else in the pie tryin' to steal the show.
Trust me. This pie will make you cry for your Momma.
Strawberry Pie
a family recipe...
1 quart (about 2 pounds) fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 unbaked pie crust
1/2 cup whipping cream, optional
Wash strawberries and hull (removing the green tops and core). Chop 1/2 of the berries with into small pieces or process in food processor.
Place chopped berries into a sauce pan and begin to cook over medium heat. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to pan with crushed berries. Add lemon juice and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
Cut remaining strawberries into halves and mix with the cooked mixture.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pie crust into 9" or 10" pie plate. Flute edges. Prick with fork all over, about 40 times. Place piece of foil inside pie crust, lightly pressing around inside bottom edges of crust. Fill with dried beans. (The beans allow the pie crust to remain its shape.)
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and remove beans and foil. Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes until edges are golden brown.
Pour strawberry mixture into baked pie shell. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until pie is set. Serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.
Then slap your hubby, sister, friend, Momma, or mailman a high-five.
Cause you've just made a killer Strawberry Pie!
This looks so easy and quick... I will definitely be trying this :)
ReplyDeleteIf I have any strawberries left with all my tasting!
Oh... I was hoping today would be a recipe today. *hoping* And my hope came true.
ReplyDeleteIt's a "cry for your momma" recipe, eh? Then I KNOW it's good.
You know what I like about you, Sar? The fact that you'll tackle a pie recipe when so many peeps are afraid of pie recipes. I remember you saying, "So many people told me that pies were hard to make. So I decided then and there that I wanted to nail down the pie crust."
And you did! But I'll need some culinary proof. Please send strawb. pie to my house for research.
*slurp, slurp*
ReplyDelete(Me licking my 'puter screen. OK, not really, but I'm tempted...)
I am so making this Tonight! I need to get to the store to get some more strawberries. We only have half a quart left.
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious, Sarah! And I love how easy it is!
ReplyDeletei have never made a from scratch pie before. i'm gonna try this cuz i LOVE strawberry pie.
ReplyDeletemaybe you could share a recipe for a good pie crust. or maybe you already have. if you have, let me know.
This looks so good! Strawberry pie is somnething I never make. Bob hates strawberries! You know, he's a pretty great guy but you do have to wonder about someone who doesn't like strawberries, don't you?
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of pie - except for strawberry. This looks wonderful and I love that the sauce can be made and frozen for ice cream or strawberry shortcake- YUMMY!!!
ReplyDeleteAs always thanks for sharing!
Any chance you will do a tutorial on pie crust?? please, pretty please. Even though I am not big on pies I would like to learn to do a pie crust - especially now that I have a great strawberry pie recipe.
I really truly think you could have your own cooking show. I promise I would watch it. And I love how your voice just pops out in your writing, so go ahead and make a book deal as well.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to make me some strawberry pie... and yes I too would love the pie crust tutorial as well. :-)
oooo... a pie crust tutorial... what a good idea.... *wink*
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious!
ReplyDeleteJust made this puppy, and it's in the fridge waiting for it's reward!(mine actually!) Will let you know how the crowd likes it. (what's not to like though??)
ReplyDeleteOk, it's a goner! Everyone raved about it, and I gave the recipe to all! (caught someone in the fridge sneaking a bite before they left!!)
ReplyDeleteI made this last Sunday for our church fellowship meal. It was a hit! Do you mind if I post it on Mama's Fixins and link back to you?
ReplyDeleteI am in the midst of making your pie recipe - I took two pounds of berries and chopped as per your directions - then when I got down a little further, you said cook half. Then add the other half of HALVES berries to the cooked berries. You did not say to chop one pound and half one pound; you said to chop the two pounds of berries. Yikes. That is wrong.
ReplyDeleteHi - I am making a Fresh Strawberry Pie as a Thank-you gift for someone who did me a good turn. I'm needing some tips and found your recipe. Thank you to YOU for the lovely recipe, photos and sense of humour. I'm making this pie as much to cheer myself up as for the gift. Oh, and I'm making one to give & one to keep. My "Momma" is coming to visit tonight for Canada Day (tomorrow) so we'll have a RED & WHITE treat for the holiday celebration! Sending you warm wishes from Canada, - Katrina
ReplyDeleteBTW....I (the REAL Lynn) made this pie with that pie crust I baked...... YUM!
ReplyDeleteThis was amazing! I somehow found myself with several pounds of strawberries and no idea what to do with them. This recipe provided me with a delicious way to use those strawberries! I loved the pictures and couldn't help smiling at the description. It turned out very yummy! Thank You!
ReplyDeleteone time i found a recipe almost like this and made the most amazing pie EVER!... then i lost it. it's in a cookbook somewhere on my shelf and i can't figure out where for the life of me! grrrr!
ReplyDeleteso, this evening i googled it and found yours and it's PERFECT!! it's chilling as i type. i'm half-temped to eat it now and burn my face off. it'd probably be worth it.
absolutely wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteJust made this today with strawberries I picked from the field yesterday . . . LOVED IT. Thanks, finally, for a perfect strawberry pie recipe. This will go in my "make again and again" recipe file!
ReplyDeleteI know it's years after this post, but I want you to know this pie wowed my new family at my mother in laws' pre-wedding day dinner (she remarried this August 2011)
ReplyDeleteWell done, a go to pie for summer get togethers!!
I loved your pie recipe! Everyone in my home enjoyed! I followed your recipe and didn't have a problem (halved and not halved) :)
ReplyDeleteHi, one question, will this pie cut fine? I'm just wondering if I will be able to serve nice slices for my guests :)
ReplyDeleteUm. Made this tonight and it. Changed. My. Life!!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously the best strawberry pie I've ever had, and with no artificial ingredients! The only problem I had was that my crust didn't look nearly as brown after 10 minutes with the beans. I had to cook it way longer. Apart from that- Strawberry perfection!!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Or curse you. I'm not sure which. (P.S. I am making another one tomorrow- you were so right.)
Thank you very much for this recipe. I was looking for a cooked pie filling. I made this in a double crust pie and baked the whole thing. It was very good. I'm sure it'd be good for turnovers too.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Did any one have to keep theirs in the fridge longer? I used frozen strawberries for the filling part and I think it may have made it more watery :( it still tastes amazing though!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking for a pie filling to freeze or can so maybe this will work! looks super good!
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing.. I have made your recipe several times now and going to again tomorrow for a topping..
ReplyDeleteFamily approved..
This is absolutely amazing.. I have made this several times and will be making it again tomorrow for a topping.. Family approved..
ReplyDelete