Pies
If you've followed this blog for a while, you probably know that pies are among my favorite desserts. To that end, here are six pies to help you through the day, including Cranberry Pie and Mini Cherry Pies. Enjoy!
STRAWBERRY SLAB PIE
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Nicole wrote, "On Juneteenth, which celebrates the abolition of slavery in the United States, the picnic table overflows with summertime pies and red foods, a symbol of perseverance. That makes this festive strawberry slab pie ideal for Juneteenth, though it’d be welcome anytime in berry season. The rectangular pie is made in a quarter sheet pan; if you don't have one, use a comparably sized casserole dish. Cracked black pepper in the crust and fresh ginger in the filling add a bit of spice. This isn't an especially sugary dessert, so if you want something sweeter, top it with vanilla ice cream."
Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Time: 4 hours, plus 2 hours' cooling
This was featured in "Hot Links and Red Drinks: The Rich Food Tradition of Juneteenth", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018797-strawberry-slab-pie.
Ingredients
For the crust:
2-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus more for buttering the pan
3/4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons buttermilk
For the filling:
3 pounds fresh strawberries, small berries cut in half and larger berries cut in quarters (see note)
3 to 4 tablespoons loosely packed dark brown sugar, depending on how sweet your berries are
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest
1-1/2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Preparation
Make the crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, the salt and the pepper. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour until the largest pieces of butter are the size of lentils.
Sprinkle ice water over dough a tablespoon at a time, stirring and scooping the dough with your hands as you go to incorporate the water, until the dough just begins to adhere and you can gather it into an imperfect ball. (You may not need all the water.) Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Wrap tightly and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Lightly butter a quarter sheet pan with a 1-inch rim, including the top edge of the rim, and set aside. (Quarter sheet pans are usually 8 by 11 inches or 9 by 12 inches, depending on the manufacturer.)
Lightly flour a large work surface, a rolling pin and the dough. Roll the chilled dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle. From that, cut a rectangle three inches bigger than the dimensions of your pan on each side (i.e., an 11-by-14-inch rectangle for an 8-by-11-inch pan, or a 12-by-15-inch rectangle for a 9-by-12-inch pan). Reserve the extra dough.
Gently press the dough rectangle into the quarter sheet pan, trimming excess dough at the edges. The dough should go all the way up and over the top edge of the pan, if possible. Transfer pan to refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out reserved dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 1- and 2-inch biscuit cutters, cut out about 30 circles of different sizes (or use all one size if you prefer), rerolling dough as necessary. Transfer circles to parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate.
Make the filling: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Set aside for about an hour, while crust chills.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. When oven is hot, paint some of the buttermilk on the edges of the pie crust. Transfer berry mixture to crust, patting the berries down into a roughly even layer. Place pan on a larger baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes.
Paint buttermilk over reserved pastry circles and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon granulated sugar. Place circles all over the bubbling berries. Continue baking pie until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, an additional 50 to 60 minutes.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pie while it's warm. Transfer the pie in its quarter sheet pan to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving from the pan.
Tip
Use smaller, fresh farm strawberries rather than conventional supermarket berries, if possible. The farm berries release less juice, which makes for a less runny filling.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
I’d driven cab for several years. One Friday afternoon, I got a call to pick up a single dad from the store. When I dropped him off, his son and daughter came out of the trailer to help bring in the groceries.
“Did you remember to get the stuff for the peanut butter pie?” his daughter asked. They were taking it to an early Thanksgiving gathering that weekend.
“Sure did,” he answered.
“Peanut butter pie?” I asked, as we finished unloading the groceries. “How do you make that?”
“With peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, and a few other things,” came the answer.
The following week, I managed to pick the dad up again. This time, I managed to get the ingredients: pie crust, peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip. It wasn’t until the third (and final) time I picked him up in as many weeks that I got the exact amounts. He used 1/3 cup each of peanut butter and sugar, both of which I upped to 1/2 cup each.
This is in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
8-ounce tub of Cool Whip (see note)
8-ounce block of cream cheese (see note)
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth is preferable)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Pie crust (see note)
Directions
Put Cool Whip, cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With beaters, beat on high. Pour into pie crust, smooth out, and freeze for 1 hour.
Note: Cool whip (or store equivalent) can be fat-free. Cream cheese can be regular cream cheese or the 1/3 less fat kind, but do not use fat free, as the pie won't set up right. I usually use a store-bought graham cracker crust for the pie, which is what the man used to make this. However, you can also use an Oreo cookie crust.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Samantha wrote, "Dead simple to make, this pie hits all the right notes. Sweet, nutty peanut butter mellows next to the tang of rich cream cheese and gets a lift from a little whipped cream. But if that doesn’t convince you, the chocolate cookie crust may. This version relies on five ingredients, instead of pre-made cookies, with the cocoa giving it a deep chocolate flavor. The crust is pressed into a well-buttered pie plate, baked, then cooled, ready to be filled and chilled. When it's time to serve, you have options: Finish it with a decorative chocolate topping or a puff of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder."
Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 50 minutes, plus chilling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018635-peanut-butter-pie.
Ingredients
For the crust:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 cup smooth, sweetened peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy
1 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon/14 grams unsalted butter (optional)
Preparation
Make the crust: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Have a nonstick standard 9-inch pie plate ready, or generously butter a 9-inch standard pie plate. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt. Add butter, stirring and mashing with a fork, until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
Transfer the crumbs to the prepared pan and press them evenly into the bottom and sides until crust is about 1/4-inch thick. Bake crust until it looks dry and set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks using an electric mixer at medium-high speed. Set aside. In another large bowl, beat the peanut butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and salt on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Chill uncovered for at least 4 to 6 hours, until filling is set.
Make the topping, if using: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and the butter together in short bursts, stirring often. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a small plastic bag, and cut a 1/8-inch hole in one corner. Drizzle the chocolate over the top to make a decorative pattern. (You may have some left over depending on your taste.) Serve immediately.
CRANBERRY PIE
My dad loved to cook, and usually came up with decent recipes. He sent this one in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.” (It can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.)
Note: This can be made with either one or two crusts. The original recipe only has a bottom crust, but I do occasionally add a top crust. If you add that top crust, cut a few slits in the top and cover the pie with foil for the first 10 - 15 minutes, then remove it to let the crust brown for the last 10 - 15 minutes.
Ingredients
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Directions
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
Ingredients
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1-1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Directions
Make as above.
STRAWBERRY PIE
A couple of summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?
Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.
Ingredients
1 quart strawberries
1 C sugar
3 Tablespoons corn start
3/4 cup hot water
1 pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.
Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.
Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!
MINI CHERRY PIES
This is from Anne Thornton on the Food Network.
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Inactive Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours; Yield: 24 mini pies; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-thornton/mini-cherry-pies-recipe-2047351.
Ingredients
Pie Crust:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for bench and cutters
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
Filling:
4 cups fresh pitted cherries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
Cooking spray
Special equipment: 1-1/2-inch and 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutters
Directions
For the crust: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter. Pulse the processor until the mixture resembles fine sand. Remove the lid and add the ice water to the mixture. Run the processor just until the mixture rolls itself into a little ball. If the mixture is a bit dry, add more ice water by the tablespoonful until it comes together. Gather the dough into a ball. With a bench scraper or knife, divide the mixture evenly in half. Shape each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
Cook's Note: At this point you can keep the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for later use.
For the filling: In a saucepan, combine the pitted cherries and 1 cup water over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Using a whisk, swirl the ingredients together, making sure that there aren't any lumps in the cornstarch. Add the sugar-cornstarch mixture and lemon zest to the cherries. Cook the cherry mixture until it comes to a rolling boil. Cook 1 minute more, until thickened. Allow the cherry filling to cool slightly while you prepare the crust.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 24 cup mini muffin tin or 2 (12 cup) mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
Roll the dough disks out into 10-inch rounds on a well-floured work surface. With a 1-1/2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, edge lightly dipped in flour, cut 24 rounds from the first rolled out disk. With a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, edge lightly dipped in flour, cut 24 rounds from the second rolled out disk. You should have a total of 24 (1-1/2-inch) rounds and 24 (2-inch) rounds for matching top and bottom crusts.
Gently fit the 2-inch dough rounds into the bottom of the prepared mini muffin tin. Make sure to pat down the bottom and the excess coming up the sides. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon cooled pie filling into each crust-lined cup. Fit the top of each mini pie with a 1 1/2-inch dough round, pushing down gently and sealing the bottom crust and top crust by crimping the edges together with a fork. With a sharp paring knife, make 3 small incisions on the top crust, to allow the steam to escape.
Bake until the edges are golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 12 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack, and then remove from the muffin tin.
STRAWBERRY SLAB PIE
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Nicole wrote, "On Juneteenth, which celebrates the abolition of slavery in the United States, the picnic table overflows with summertime pies and red foods, a symbol of perseverance. That makes this festive strawberry slab pie ideal for Juneteenth, though it’d be welcome anytime in berry season. The rectangular pie is made in a quarter sheet pan; if you don't have one, use a comparably sized casserole dish. Cracked black pepper in the crust and fresh ginger in the filling add a bit of spice. This isn't an especially sugary dessert, so if you want something sweeter, top it with vanilla ice cream."
Yield: 12 to 16 servings; Time: 4 hours, plus 2 hours' cooling
This was featured in "Hot Links and Red Drinks: The Rich Food Tradition of Juneteenth", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018797-strawberry-slab-pie.
Ingredients
For the crust:
2-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus more for buttering the pan
3/4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons buttermilk
For the filling:
3 pounds fresh strawberries, small berries cut in half and larger berries cut in quarters (see note)
3 to 4 tablespoons loosely packed dark brown sugar, depending on how sweet your berries are
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest
1-1/2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Preparation
Make the crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, the salt and the pepper. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour until the largest pieces of butter are the size of lentils.
Sprinkle ice water over dough a tablespoon at a time, stirring and scooping the dough with your hands as you go to incorporate the water, until the dough just begins to adhere and you can gather it into an imperfect ball. (You may not need all the water.) Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap and press into a disk. Wrap tightly and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Lightly butter a quarter sheet pan with a 1-inch rim, including the top edge of the rim, and set aside. (Quarter sheet pans are usually 8 by 11 inches or 9 by 12 inches, depending on the manufacturer.)
Lightly flour a large work surface, a rolling pin and the dough. Roll the chilled dough into a 1/8-inch-thick rectangle. From that, cut a rectangle three inches bigger than the dimensions of your pan on each side (i.e., an 11-by-14-inch rectangle for an 8-by-11-inch pan, or a 12-by-15-inch rectangle for a 9-by-12-inch pan). Reserve the extra dough.
Gently press the dough rectangle into the quarter sheet pan, trimming excess dough at the edges. The dough should go all the way up and over the top edge of the pan, if possible. Transfer pan to refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out reserved dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 1- and 2-inch biscuit cutters, cut out about 30 circles of different sizes (or use all one size if you prefer), rerolling dough as necessary. Transfer circles to parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate.
Make the filling: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Set aside for about an hour, while crust chills.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. When oven is hot, paint some of the buttermilk on the edges of the pie crust. Transfer berry mixture to crust, patting the berries down into a roughly even layer. Place pan on a larger baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes.
Paint buttermilk over reserved pastry circles and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon granulated sugar. Place circles all over the bubbling berries. Continue baking pie until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, an additional 50 to 60 minutes.
Run a small knife around the edge of the pie while it's warm. Transfer the pie in its quarter sheet pan to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving from the pan.
Tip
Use smaller, fresh farm strawberries rather than conventional supermarket berries, if possible. The farm berries release less juice, which makes for a less runny filling.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
I’d driven cab for several years. One Friday afternoon, I got a call to pick up a single dad from the store. When I dropped him off, his son and daughter came out of the trailer to help bring in the groceries.
“Did you remember to get the stuff for the peanut butter pie?” his daughter asked. They were taking it to an early Thanksgiving gathering that weekend.
“Sure did,” he answered.
“Peanut butter pie?” I asked, as we finished unloading the groceries. “How do you make that?”
“With peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, and a few other things,” came the answer.
The following week, I managed to pick the dad up again. This time, I managed to get the ingredients: pie crust, peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip. It wasn’t until the third (and final) time I picked him up in as many weeks that I got the exact amounts. He used 1/3 cup each of peanut butter and sugar, both of which I upped to 1/2 cup each.
This is in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
8-ounce tub of Cool Whip (see note)
8-ounce block of cream cheese (see note)
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth is preferable)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
Pie crust (see note)
Directions
Put Cool Whip, cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With beaters, beat on high. Pour into pie crust, smooth out, and freeze for 1 hour.
Note: Cool whip (or store equivalent) can be fat-free. Cream cheese can be regular cream cheese or the 1/3 less fat kind, but do not use fat free, as the pie won't set up right. I usually use a store-bought graham cracker crust for the pie, which is what the man used to make this. However, you can also use an Oreo cookie crust.
PEANUT BUTTER PIE
This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Samantha wrote, "Dead simple to make, this pie hits all the right notes. Sweet, nutty peanut butter mellows next to the tang of rich cream cheese and gets a lift from a little whipped cream. But if that doesn’t convince you, the chocolate cookie crust may. This version relies on five ingredients, instead of pre-made cookies, with the cocoa giving it a deep chocolate flavor. The crust is pressed into a well-buttered pie plate, baked, then cooled, ready to be filled and chilled. When it's time to serve, you have options: Finish it with a decorative chocolate topping or a puff of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder."
Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 50 minutes, plus chilling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018635-peanut-butter-pie.
Ingredients
For the crust:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 cup smooth, sweetened peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy
1 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon/14 grams unsalted butter (optional)
Preparation
Make the crust: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Have a nonstick standard 9-inch pie plate ready, or generously butter a 9-inch standard pie plate. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt. Add butter, stirring and mashing with a fork, until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
Transfer the crumbs to the prepared pan and press them evenly into the bottom and sides until crust is about 1/4-inch thick. Bake crust until it looks dry and set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks using an electric mixer at medium-high speed. Set aside. In another large bowl, beat the peanut butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and salt on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Chill uncovered for at least 4 to 6 hours, until filling is set.
Make the topping, if using: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate and the butter together in short bursts, stirring often. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a small plastic bag, and cut a 1/8-inch hole in one corner. Drizzle the chocolate over the top to make a decorative pattern. (You may have some left over depending on your taste.) Serve immediately.
CRANBERRY PIE
My dad loved to cook, and usually came up with decent recipes. He sent this one in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.” (It can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.)
Note: This can be made with either one or two crusts. The original recipe only has a bottom crust, but I do occasionally add a top crust. If you add that top crust, cut a few slits in the top and cover the pie with foil for the first 10 - 15 minutes, then remove it to let the crust brown for the last 10 - 15 minutes.
Ingredients
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Directions
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
Ingredients
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1-1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Directions
Make as above.
STRAWBERRY PIE
A couple of summers ago, my daughter and I checked out a local fruit stand and came away with a quart of strawberries. They were on sale for $3 for a quart, so how could we pass them up?
Of course, then we had to decide what to do with all these yummy strawberries. And what better use for them than in a pie? So, here goes what I made.
Ingredients
1 quart strawberries
1 C sugar
3 Tablespoons corn start
3/4 cup hot water
1 pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place pie crust in an ungreased pie pan. Using a fork, pierce crust a couple of times (though don't go overboard), and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Note: If you're using a store-bought pie crust, bake until brown according to the package directions.
Wash strawberries. Cut up half of the berries (about 1 pint) and arrange in pie crust. You don't need to cut the strawberries too small; maybe in half or, for larger strawberries, in fourths.
Mash the remaining berries and place in a medium saucepan. Pour sugar over the strawberries in the pan and combine. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
In a small bowl, whisk hot water and cornstarch together, then stir into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat, then simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour thickened mixture over berries in pie crust. Chill for several hours before serving. Oh, and be sure to share!
MINI CHERRY PIES
This is from Anne Thornton on the Food Network.
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Inactive Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours; Yield: 24 mini pies; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-thornton/mini-cherry-pies-recipe-2047351.
Ingredients
Pie Crust:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for bench and cutters
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
Filling:
4 cups fresh pitted cherries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
Cooking spray
Special equipment: 1-1/2-inch and 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutters
Directions
For the crust: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter. Pulse the processor until the mixture resembles fine sand. Remove the lid and add the ice water to the mixture. Run the processor just until the mixture rolls itself into a little ball. If the mixture is a bit dry, add more ice water by the tablespoonful until it comes together. Gather the dough into a ball. With a bench scraper or knife, divide the mixture evenly in half. Shape each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
Cook's Note: At this point you can keep the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for later use.
For the filling: In a saucepan, combine the pitted cherries and 1 cup water over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Using a whisk, swirl the ingredients together, making sure that there aren't any lumps in the cornstarch. Add the sugar-cornstarch mixture and lemon zest to the cherries. Cook the cherry mixture until it comes to a rolling boil. Cook 1 minute more, until thickened. Allow the cherry filling to cool slightly while you prepare the crust.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 24 cup mini muffin tin or 2 (12 cup) mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
Roll the dough disks out into 10-inch rounds on a well-floured work surface. With a 1-1/2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, edge lightly dipped in flour, cut 24 rounds from the first rolled out disk. With a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, edge lightly dipped in flour, cut 24 rounds from the second rolled out disk. You should have a total of 24 (1-1/2-inch) rounds and 24 (2-inch) rounds for matching top and bottom crusts.
Gently fit the 2-inch dough rounds into the bottom of the prepared mini muffin tin. Make sure to pat down the bottom and the excess coming up the sides. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon cooled pie filling into each crust-lined cup. Fit the top of each mini pie with a 1 1/2-inch dough round, pushing down gently and sealing the bottom crust and top crust by crimping the edges together with a fork. With a sharp paring knife, make 3 small incisions on the top crust, to allow the steam to escape.
Bake until the edges are golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 12 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack, and then remove from the muffin tin.
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