Fresh Strawberry Pie

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought
• 3 pounds strawberries, hulled
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons low-sugar or no-sugar powdered pectin
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water
• 9-inch pie plate
• Pie weights

Directions

1. Roll out the crust, then settle it gently into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the overhang, crimp the edges, and chill the crust for at least 1/2 hour.
2. Cover the crust with parchment paper or foil, and fill it with pie weights or dry beans. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Take out the weights, then bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust has turned lightly golden. If you’re using a store-bought pie crust, use the package directions for blind baking.
3. Let the crust cool all the way before you put the pie together. Cut 15 of the biggest strawberries in half, about 1 pound, and keep them aside for decorating the top.
4. Slice the rest of the strawberries thinly.
5. Puree 2 cups of the sliced strawberries in a blender with the sugar, pectin, cornstarch, and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a saucepan and place it over medium high heat.
6. Keep stirring the glaze as it heats, and let it come to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. It should still stir easily and look a little thickened. If it starts getting too thick and turns more jelly-like, pull it off the heat right away.
7. Scrape the glaze into a large bowl with a spatula, and let it cool for 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of the glaze and set it aside for the top of the pie.
8. Add the remaining sliced strawberries to the bowl of glaze and stir until they’re evenly coated. Spoon the filling into the cooled crust. Smooth it out so the slices lie flat, then place the reserved halved strawberries over the top.
9. Mix the reserved glaze with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to loosen it, then brush it over the pie. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the glaze has set. The pie is best the day it’s made.