Strawberry Pie II

I use a very similar recipe to this from a Farm Journals Pie Book (from 1965). Mine just calls for more berries (1 1/2 qts.) and less water (only 1/2 cup). You crush 1 cup worth of berries and add the water to that. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together (will blend much better) and then bring the whole thing to a boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes until thick and translucent. Add 1 tbs. butter and let it cool before adding to the crust. I find that it avoids getting a soggy crust that way. I would highly (highly, highly, highly) advise never to use store bought strawberries. If you have a farmers market or a pick-your-own place just use those. You'll never get the true flavor of the pie otherwise. I just made this yesterday for Father's Day (made a 10-inch version) and there's none left. Also good to try this with other fruit (I've done raspberries and peaches)

This stuff is the bomb! I cheated, however, and modified it a little according to others opinions. Instead of leaving half of the berries unmashed and mashing the other half, I did 3/4 unmashed and 1/4 mashed. It was PERFECT - not too sweet and jammy that way! I still kept the measurements of cornstarch at 3T, but I cut down on the sugar (used 3/4 cup) and the water (used 1/2 cup). I did NOT cook the mixture for 10 minutes like the recipe says. I added everything together in the cold pot, then turned it on to med-high and stirred it CONSTANTLY until it started boiling. Leave it at boiling for 2-3 minutes. It gets thick really fast. I let it cool for a couple of minutes and poured it on the pie. After only 1 hour in the fridge, it was set perfectly!

We loved this pie for Easter. I used more strawberries in the sauce than it called for. The clencher that took it over the top was after the shell was baked I melted about 2 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave and "painted" the inside of the crust with the melted chocolate! Unbelievably awesome! Strawberry pies are notorious for getting soggy - with the painted chocolate crust that was avoided. After you paint the crust be sure to put it in the refrigerator and let the chocolate set up before you fill it.

I've made a silimar version of this pie for several years and the priamry differences are: I use fewer mashed strawberries and incorporated them into the simple syrup I made. For the simple syrup I used 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons corn starch and I cup sugar. Cook this mixture over meduim heat until thick and clear. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons strawberry Jell-O powder. Add mashed strawberries and proceed as directed. This give flavor and color to the pie.

For a great taste, use gingerale instead of water. What it does for the flavor is unbelievable.

I was rushing when I made this recipe the first time, and accidently dumped the 1/2 cup of whipping cream in with the mashed (or in my case, blended) strawberries, sugar, water, and cornstarch. It was FANTASTIC! I have made this recipe without the extra whipping cream, and I prefer the creamy version. Cream or no, it is a fabulous and easy recipe. My guests have left raving about it.

This was a great recipe. Very easy to make, though took some time to prep all fruit and layers. I added a layer of vanilla pudding on the bottom as well - made for nice texture to tart strawberries!

My family really liked this pie. I used the ingredient's quantities as listed on the recipe and it was perfect. The strawberries were large so I cut them in half. I also used 3/4 of strawberries in the shell and the remainder for the sauce. After the sauce had cooked I put it in a food processor till it was silky smooth. I carefully spooned it over the strawberries in the shell so as not to overdo it, being sure to get it into all the crevices.

8/8/06: A marvelous pie to take advantage of red, ripe strawberry season! Although it is definitely a plan-ahead pie, as mine needed a full 24 hours in the fridge to completely set. I sliced it at 12 hours and the interior was not yet firm (but maybe my strawberries were not completely dry from rinsing). Taking a cue from other reviewers who found this pie too sweet, I used 3/4 cup sugar and found that it was just the right sweetness to complement the tart fresh strawberries. After mashing, I used a hand mixer to puree the strawberries and liked the results. It was delicious with a dollop of whipped cream on top, but I might even prefer a layer of vanilla custard on the bottom. I think I'll try that next time. Thanks for a wonderful New Jersey recipe! UPDATE 5/13/07: I've made this pie several more times, and I have decided the vanilla custard, while a nice addition, actually gets lost amongst the strong berry flavor. The pie has never been as firm as I would like it to be, but the taste is consistently a big hit. I have found that reserving some sliced strawberries to sink into the top after your pour the filling is a nice way to create an impressive presentation (the strawberries have to be covered by a little bit of the glaze so they do not dry out).

Without hesitation, this pie deserves more than a 5 star rating. It is delicious. If you really want to impress your guests, this is the way to do it. Look forward to making this pie with fresh strawberries from my garden this year. By the way, I'm originally from North Jersey, Bergen County. Now live in Upstate New York, been married to my husband, a dairy farmer, for 30+ years. We have two children, and two grandsons. I do miss my hometown where I grew up and hope to visit there this summer. Thank you for this recipe, and thanks for listening!! God Bless.