Fresh Strawberry Pie is a sweet, glistening summer treat

Fresh strawberries, a crisp shortbread crust and that sweet gelatin that makes the berries glisten. Need more convincing?

This week’s recipe is simple: Fresh Strawberry Pie. A kindergartner could make it with a bit of supervision and perhaps an adult assistant to slice the berries. My GiGi used to make pies constantly, and I remember my dad raving about the strawberry pie.

Our family must be partial to strawberries because she also made incredible strawberry jam. I still have a jar that says “From Santa” that she sent home with me years ago filled with strawberry jam. It’s my special jar and makes me smile to see her handwriting on it.

GiGi made her strawberry pie with a traditional pie crust, but I love the idea of this shortbread crust because it’s quicker and requires less finesse. I find that I need more butter to get shortbread or graham cracker crusts to form. so don’t be afraid to add a couple more tablespoons to the crust. After all, butter makes everything better.

And after it’s chilled, a cold slice of pie on a hot summer day is the perfect sweet way to end the day.

Fresh Strawberry Pie with Whipped Cream

1 5-ounce package shortbread cookies

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling

2 pounds (1 ½-inch) strawberries, hulled

¾ cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 envelope (2 ¼ teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

Topping: Lightly sweetened homemade whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle.

Pulse cookies in a food processor to fine crumbs, then pulse in sugar and butter until combined. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate (not deep dish). Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Select 20 large strawberries as close to the same size as possible and set aside. Cut remaining berries into ¼-inch dice and toss with sugar and lemon juice. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Drain berries in a sieve set into a large glass measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 2 cups. Transfer liquid to a medium saucepan and reserve berries.

Sprinkle gelatin over strawberry liquid and let soften 1 minute. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring until gelatin has dissolved. Add diced berries, then transfer to a metal bowl set into an ice bath and stir frequently until mixture begins to mound, 20 to 30 minutes.

Spoon ½ cup filling into pie crust and arrange reserved whole berries, stem ends down, on filling. Spoon remaining filling over and between berries. Chill pie until filling is set, at least 4 hours.

Cooks’ notes:

• Pie crust can be made 2 days ahead and kept (covered, once cooled) at room temperature.

• Filled pie can be chilled, loosely covered, up to 1 day.

• While not as dramatic as whole large berries, if you find juicy small berries, cut them into quarters or halves. It may take longer for mixture to set, but pie will taste just as good.

This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 12:36 PM.