Strawberry Pie

My mom has a wonderful habit.  No matter what the fruit project is (canning, saucing or jamming), before she dives in or shortly thereafter, she briefly stops the process to make a pie.  It's a wonderful reward after a hard day of peeling, turning, slicing, or capping.  You know, that end of the day feeling when your feet are throbbing and you're exhausted yet so happy with what you've put up.  Not to mention, the relief to have had enough energy to get the kitchen back in order.  After a make-shift dinner of leftovers or fruit over biscuits with milk, that pie is a good old fashioned reward for your efforts.

Our strawberries won't be as plentiful this year because our bed is full of year-old plants, but the ones we are getting are big and beautiful and we are eating them straight from the garden and on top of oatmeal.  The other morning, Sadie told me that she thought we should make a strawberry pie.  Even though I wasn't going to spend my day in a hot kitchen putting up fruit, I thought it was a fine idea.  And, when I realized I hadn't shared my mom's strawberry pie recipe with you, I knew I needed to share it.  Some things are just too good to keep to yourself.

And while I'm telling you what *I* think you should do with your strawberries, here are a couple other recommendations...

Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles and Smoothies

Strawberry Brunch Souffle

Spinach Strawberry Salad
Mrs. Davey Funk Cake and Tishy Fuloo

Mama JJ's Aunt Valerie's Blueberry (or Strawberry) Bars

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Mom's Strawberry Pie 
If you use a 9 or 10-inch pie crust, simply increase the amount of strawberries. I think this pie is best chilled, so if you want it for dinner, make it in the morning, allow it to cool and stick it in the fridge.

8-inch pie crust
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
a pinch of salt
1/3 cup water
2 cups crushed strawberries
2 1/2 cups sliced strawberries (the smallest ones can be left whole)

Bake the pie crust (empty) for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees or until it turns light brown.  Set aside.  Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan.  Add water and crushed strawberries and bring it to a boil over medium high to high heat, stirring often.  Once the filling is thick (when you take your spoon across the bottom of the pan it should take a few seconds for the filling to re-cover the exposed pan), remove it from the heat.

Lay the sliced strawberries in the bottom of the baked pie crust and then cover with the warm filling.  Let cool completely and then refrigerate until ready to serve. Pin It