This pie is perfect for anytime you have an abundance of fresh strawberries on hand, especially at the beginning of the season. Fresh strawberry pie recipes are passed down in families and found in abundance on the internet. The general basis of this pie involves macerating the strawberries in sugar. Here in the Olive This! kitchen we prefer to use our aged balsamics to macerate and thus highlight the berries with a complementary naturally flavored balsamic. Today we have used Cara Cara Orange Vanilla but the Tangerine or Sicilian Lemon would also be an ideal choice. Many versions use gelatin to help the pie set up. We prefer using smashed strawberries with a bit of cornstarch instead of the gelatin. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 7 cups strawberries
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Olive This! Cara Cara Orange Vanilla Balsamic or Tangerine Balsamic Vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 pie crust, refrigerated or frozen
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar, or less – to taste
Directions
Bake the pie crusts per directions on the package and let cool. While the crust is baking prepare the strawberries.
Cut the strawberries in half or quarters depending upon their size. Mash 1 cup of strawberries and set aside. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar on the strawberries, toss together and set aside.
Bring the remaining balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup of water to boil on the stove top. Dissolve the cornstarch and add the smashed strawberries. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture to remove lumps. Take it off the heat and stir in the butter. Cool to room temperature.
Stir the cooled mixture into the macerating strawberries. Pour all into the cooled crust. Place the pie in the refrigerator for about four hours to allow it to set and the flavors to blend.
Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together. We prefer to keep the whipped cream only slightly sweet to balance the tangy sweetness of the pie. Spread or dollop the whipped cream on top of the pie and serve!
Serving size, 1 pie.
Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below (providing your email address is not necessary).