I would say I’m pretty much a pie traditionalist. I love slicing into a creamy, custardy, pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. I relish taking that first juicy bite of homemade apple pie (with fresh orchard picked apples) every season. I even sometimes venture out into the “light as a cloud” lemon meringue pie. For the most part, all of this pie-making (and pie eating) bliss happens in the autumn.

At least, it was the case until this past month, when I had an over abundance of sweet & tart strawberries bought from a local farm. I decided to branch out of my harvest-time pie flavors, and into the land of summertime pastry. Time for a delicious Rustic Strawberry Pie!

This is my first ‘berry pie’, and I adored it. Juicy, ripe strawberries are mixed with a little sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice, then paired with a flaky, buttery crust that is my go-to for any pie. This pie was juicy and sweet, with just a hint of fresh lemony-tartness! It was summer sunshine on a plate!

Try this Rustic Strawberry Pie with a side of freshly whipped cream, or just on it’s own; you’ll love it!

Rustic Strawberry Pie

makes 8 servings

5 cups whole strawberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons cornstarch

my favorite butter pastry dough for the crust

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon water

turbinado sugar for sprinkling flour for rolling

tin foil for baking

Preheat your oven to 375F. Take your already made and chilled pie crust (recipe coming soon!) out of the refrigerator to warm slightly.

Wash, dry, and hull your strawberries. Cut into halves or thirds – you want a ‘rustic look’ for the filling – and place in a medium bowl.

After slicing the berries, add the sugar and lemon juice. Stir thoroughly.

Take a quick taste to make sure the sugar sweetness is where you want it, remembering that as the berries break down in the oven, they will get sweeter.

Add the cornstarch and mix well.

Now, roll your pie dough out on a well floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Roll to about 1/4 inch thick and large enough to fill a 9 inch standard pie plate. Once rolled, transfer the pie crust onto the center of the pie plate and trim the excess dough from the edges. Leaving about 3/4-1 inch left.

Pour the strawberry mixture into the pie shell.

Quickly roll out the second piece of dough to the same dimensions and place on-top of the pie, trimming the edges slightly so there is about 1 inch left. Pinch/crimp the dough around the pie with either your fingers or with the tines of a fork.

Cut slits or decorative vents onto the top of the pie. The shape isn’t that important, but it is necessary to have some sort of opening on the top so the trapped steam can escape while baking.

Place your egg yolk into a small bowl and mix with a splash of water until combined.

Brush onto the pie crust (it will turn a lovely brown once baked).

Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.

You can now place the pie into the oven, with or without a baking sheet underneath it to catch spills, and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.

Keep an eye for over-browning. You can use strips of foil over the more cooked-looking crust to protect it from burning once the pastry has reached an appropriate level of browning.

Allow to cool completely before serving. I like to wait overnight, keeping the pie on the counter with a tea-towel or kitchen towel on top of it – the extra time allows the pie filling to properly set.

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