Fresh Strawberry Pie
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cool water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
One 9 inch pie crust or store-bought crust baked according to package directions
Whipped Cream to serve, optional
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Select the largest, most beautiful berries and place stem-side down in the empty pie dish as though they were decorating the surface of the pie.
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Once enough berries have been selected, wash and core them and set aside.
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Wash and core the remaining strawberries, then slice them about 1/4-inch thick.
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Add the sliced strawberries to a medium saucepan. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice and turn the heat to medium. Bring the mixture to a strong boil for 5 minutes, stirring so it does not stick.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cool water until no lumps remain.
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Stream the cornstarch mixture into the boiling strawberries, stirring constantly. Boil rapidly for exactly 1 minute. The gel will go from cloudy to almost clear and will thicken sufficiently to coat a spoon. Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool for 30 minutes.
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Spoon the strawberry mixture into the baked pie shell.
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Carefully place each whole berry on top of the pie filling starting in the center and spiraling outward. They will sink a bit.
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Use a small pastry brush to glaze the berries with the gel from the filling. The whole pie should glisten.
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Chill the pie for a minimum of 4 hours. Overnight (8 hour) chilling will result in the firmest pie filling and the most photo-worthy slice. Serve with whipped cream.
