Strawberry Pie

 Steve has been really craving Strawberry Pie lately, so last night I looked up the recipe (after he was wonderful enough to buy me 6 quarts of fresh berries!) and a pie crust recipe - and tonight I swallowed my fear of gluten free pie crust - and made the pie.  Of course I made it Mandie-safe - aside from the whipped topping.   It was a huge hit!  Everyone is eagerly awaiting the second slice tomorrow night!   The only thing I'd do differently next time is to cook the glaze a bit longer so it gets thicker.  As you can see, it was still a bit thin.   

STRAWBERRY PIE

2 quarts of strawberries, sliced

1 baked gluten-free pie crust*

1 cup water

¾ cup Pure Cane Sugar

1 Tbsp. tapioca or potato starch

Fill the baked pie crust with sliced berries until no more will fit.  Chill the full crust in the fridge for at least an hour.  Save the remaining strawberries.   At the end of the hour, put the berries in a medium saucepan with a cup of water.  Cook 4-6 minutes, til the berries are soft.  Put the water and berries in a mixer or food processor, and blend until smooth.  Pour back into saucepan, and whisk in ¾ cup of sugar and 1 Tbsp. of tapioca starch.  Cook on low until sugar and starch dissolve and mixture thickens.  Pour hot glaze over the cooled berries in the pie crust.  Chill for another hour, and serve plain or with Coconut Whipped Topping**.

*SUPER EASY GLUTEN FREE PIE CRUST

½ cup lard (may use shortening)

1 ½ cups brown rice flour

4 Tbsp. cold water

Preheat oven to 400* F.  Cut shortening into flour until crumbly using pastry cutter or a fork. Add water.  Work dough with hands until it’s soft and you can form into a ball.  Place dough into an 8” or 9” pie pan, and press it up the sides.  This works best using your fingers.  Using a fork, prick the bottom of the crust about 2 dozen or so times, to let air escape.   Place crust in oven and bake 12-16 minutes, or until edges start to turn golden brown.  Set on a wire rack and fill with strawberries.

** DAIRY FREE WHIPPED TOPPING

1 can full fat coconut milk, chilled in fridge 24 hours

2-3 Tbsp. pure cane sugar or pure maple syrup

1-2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

Chill milk in fridge for 24 hours.  Chill metal bowl and wire whisk of mixer in freezer for 2-3 hours.  Combine milk with sugar & extracts and whip until creamy. Use in place of whipped topping.    

Stores well in fridge.