Fresh strawberry pie recipe

June 29, 3:58 PMProvidence Food ExaminerDonna Diegel

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Fresh Strawberry Pie

Big juicy strawberries chilled in homemade strawberry glaze, nestled in a graham cracker or vanilla cookie crust and topped with fresh whipped cream. Summer's here, bring on the strawberries!

Classic Strawberry Pie

Upon further research of the classic Strawberry Pie, it seems there are endless versions of everyone's favorite strawberry dessert. It's an old recipe, dating back to at least 1929 in Grandmother's recipe journal. Some recipes say to cook the fruit with cornstarch, making a gel and pouring it over the strawberries. Other recipes mash some of the fruit and add gelatin or even strawberry Jell-O to the mix and chill. Still others suggest cooking strawberry glaze on the stove, letting it cool, then folding Cool Whip into the fruit. This recipe uses Grandma's cook-and-chill method.

Graham Cracker Crust or Nilla Vanilla Cookie Crust?

Both are absolutely delicious crusts to use with this Fresh Strawberry Pie. The Nilla Vanilla Cookie Crust found below, is as simple as a Graham Cracker Crust and an Oreo Cookie Crust. If strawberries and chocolate sound good together, then a few Chocolate Covered Strawberries as garnish on top will not only taste awesome, but look extravagant as well! The Best Ever Flaky Pie Crust can also be used for a more traditional pie.  

Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 - 9 inch Vanilla Cookie Pie Crust (recipe follows), or preferred pie crust
• 6-8 cups (2 quarts) ripe strawberries depending on size, hulled, and rinsed
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

• Select approximately 12-20 small, perfectly shaped, hulled and rinsed strawberries that are similar in size. If they're not small, cut in half or slice them, and set aside.
• Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
• Crush or mash 2 cups of whole berries with a potato masher. Add enough water to make 2 cups, and stir into the sugar and cornstarch.
• Cook strawberry mixture over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, if remaining berries are large, cut them in small bite size pieces and place in the bottom of pie crust.
• Spoon 1/2 of the cooked strawberry mixture over the bottom layer of fresh strawberries.
• Place the perfect berries hull side down, standing up on top of the bottom layer.
• Spoon the remaining strawberry glaze over the top, making sure to coat all the whole strawberries. Brush some of the glaze around if needed.
• Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve with Sweetened Whipped Cream (see recipe below).
• Serves 6-8. Best eaten within 2 days. Refrigerate all leftovers.  

Vanilla Cookie Crust Recipe

• 50  Nilla Vanilla Cookies
• 1/4  cup  (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 2  tablespoons  sugar

How to Make a Cookie Crust

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Crush the Nilla Wafers in a plastic bag with a rolling pin until fine. Or, place cookies in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs are achieved.
• Mix cookie crumbs with melted butter and sugar. Press firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure to do the bottom and all the way up the sides.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust is very light brown. Remove from oven and cool completely before adding the strawberry pie filling.

 Whipped Cream Recipe

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar), sifted
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

How to Make Whipped Cream

• Using whisk attachment, whip heavy cream with a high speed mixer or hand mixer until semi stiff.
• Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip until stiff.
• Spoon into pastry bag fitted with large star tip and decorate chocolate mousse or pie.