Two Good Strawberry Pies

A recipe for a no-bake Fresh Strawberry Pie with an all-natural strawberry glaze and a delicious oven-baked Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie—two perfect spring desserts and "Two Good Strawberry Pies." 

Each of these pie recipes requires just four cups of berries.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Makes one 8-inch pie

Strawberry glaze:

• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Filling:

• 3 cups fresh strawberries

Pie crust:

• 8-inch pastry shell, baked and cooled

1.    Assemble the ingredients. Rinse and hull the strawberries.

2.    Place one-half of the strawberries, selecting the less perfect berries first, in a pot and crush them with the back of a spoon. Add the water to the pot with the strawberries and cook the mixture over medium heat to a simmer for about 3 minutes. Sieve the strawberry sauce, remove the seeds, and return the sauce to the pot. 

3.    Combine the sugar and cornstarch and add to the sauce. Cook over moderately high heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon for about 3 minutes.

4.    Slice the remaining half of the strawberries to your desired thickness or quarter them. Place one-half of these berries in the pastry shell. Pour half the sauce over. Repeat and chill.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Makes one 8-inch pie

• 4 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, sliced
• 1 pound fresh rhubarb, rinsed and sliced (do not use tough ends) to the same thickness as the strawberries
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons butter (chop while cold and keep chilled)
• Pastry for a double pie crust, bottom partially pre-baked with an egg white glaze

1.    Assemble the ingredients. 

2.    Preheat the oven to 350 F.

3.    Place one-half of the strawberries, selecting the less perfect berries first, in a pot and crush them with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the water to the pot and cook the mixture over medium heat to a simmer for about 3 minutes. Sieve the strawberry sauce, remove the seeds, and return the sauce to the pot. 

4.    Combine the sugar and cornstarch and add to the sauce. Cook over moderately high heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon for about 3 minutes.

5.    Combine the berries and the rhubarb. Place half the fruit in the pre-baked pastry shell; pour the sauce over and repeat. Sprinkle with the chopped butter. Cover with a lattice top or cut a free-hand design in the top crust for a steam vent. 

6.    Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the fruit is cooked and bubbling. Cool and refrigerate before serving.

Note: Rhubarb may be a bit regional, but it is often available nationwide in larger grocery stores for a short while.

More Dessert Recipes | Recipe Index For All Recipes

Apple Slices

My mother made Apple Slices throughout my childhood. I was one of seven children, so a sheet pan of Apple Slices lasted just two days in our household. It was served a few hours after baking on the first day while still warm. Then, after overnight refrigeration, we ate more the following day. It was delicious, both warm from the oven and cold from the refrigerator. 

Serves 15 to 20

For the filling:

3 pounds tart cooking apples

1 cup water

1-1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the pastry crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup lard*

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 egg yolks, beaten

1/2 cup water

To make the filling:  

Bring the water, sugar, cinnamon, and salt just to a boil.  Add the apple slices and lower the temperature, cooking slowly for 10 minutes.  Blend the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water; add to the apple mixture and stir.  Cool for 5 minutes, stirring gently.

To make the pastry crust: 

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut the lard into the sifted ingredients. Mix the lemon juice, egg yolk, and water and sprinkle over the flour mixture. Blend lightly, forming a soft dough.  Divide the pastry dough into two parts, one part just larger than the other.

Roll the larger piece of pastry dough to fit a 9 x 13 x 2-inch sheet cake pan and line the pan with the pastry crust.  Fill with the cooled apple mixture.  Roll the remaining dough to fit the top; cover the filling with the top crust and seal the edges.  Cut simple vents or a design in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake in a preheated oven at 450 F for 20 minutes, and then reduce heat to 350 F and bake 30 minutes longer.

Ice the Apple Slices with a thin powdered sugar icing.  This dessert is excellent, warm from the oven (allow to cool first) and cold from the refrigerator.

* Lard is a monounsaturated fat, as are avocado, olive, peanut, and sesame oils for reference. Vegetable shortening may be used in place of the lard.

More Dessert Recipes | Recipe Index For All Recipes