Pie. When friends ask me what my favorite thing to style is as a food stylist, pie is never the answer. It’s hard … really hard. Almost as difficult as ice cream except that pie doesn’t usually melt, thank God. See, it’s not in the making of the pie, it’s in the cutting of it. Taking out the first piece of pie is what I call “the sacrificial piece.” It rarely comes out clean and you always need someone nearby that doesn’t care what it looks like, they just love pie. (That would be me, in case you’re wondering.) This pie was surprisingly easy to get that sacrificial piece out and not only did the grain-free crust hold together, the nuts it’s made with perfectly complemented the fruit. It was so good!
I’m a dessert girl. I LOVE dessert. Creme’ Brûlée is the ultimate for me, but pie is definitely my next favorite. I love cake… but pie? Pie is where it’s at. My favorites Pecan pie, Lemon Meringue (Here’s the lemon curd I use), Lemon Sponge, Topsy Turvy Apple Pie. This strawberry pie is now going on the list. I love it for it’s summery appeal.
If you’re going to make this pie, make sure the strawberries are “in season.” That means, don’t use winter strawberries. Their flavor is weak and their centers are white making them unworthy of a pie meant to show off their color and sweetness so well.
A few notes about this recipe:
- For the crust, I used soaked walnuts, raw sugar and organic butter. If you’re dairy-free, you can use coconut oil.
- Watch the crust carefully when baking as it could brown quickly depending on your oven.
- The Moscato adds another layer of flavor but if you don’t have any, you can use some apple juice or white grape juice.
- Using gelatin from grass-fed cows is very important. Here’s why.
- CRUST:
- 2 cups walnuts
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup butter, melted (* or coconut oil, if dairy-free)
- ¼ cup sugar
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- 3 lbs. fresh, beautiful strawberries
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- GLAZE:
- 2 cups strawberry puree, strained
- ¼ cup Moscato
- 4 Tbls. gelatin (from pastured cows)
- ¼ cup sugar
- FOR THE CRUST:
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a food processor and process until they are crumbs.
- Slowly drizzle butter in until it forms a dough.
- Press into pie plate or tart dish until it covers the bottom and sides.
- Bake at 350˚ for 15 minutes.
- Remove and cool completely.
- When crust is cool, arrange strawberries in a decorative pattern and prepare glaze.
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- FOR THE GLAZE:
- Make strawberry puree by blending strawberries in a food processor or blender.
- Strain the puree through cheesecloth to make 2 cups of juice.
- To 1 cup of juice, add Moscato and sprinkle gelatin on top to dissolve.
- Heat the remaining cup of strawberry juice and sugar to boiling on the stovetop.
- Pour over juice and gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved completely.
- Allow to cool to room temperature and pour gently over pie.
- Chill for at least 6 hours before serving.
- Serve with fresh whipped cream and chopped walnuts.