Michigan Cottage Cook: SIMPLY THE BEST STRAWBERRY PIE--THE EVOLUTION OF THE PERFECT PIE

PERFECTION!

When I was a teenager in the late 1950’s I bought or was given the “Betty Crocker’s Picture Cook Book.” The book is now battered and falling apart. The first recipe that caught my eye was French Strawberry Glaze Pie. Now days you can buy the glaze for this pie in the supermarket; but, when I first found this recipe in my 1950's BETTY CROCKER COOKBOOK no one in my family had had it before. It was an instant hit. The pie is described in the cookbook as being, "An exciting and sparkling combination-flaky pastry, cream cheese and ripe red berries." I made this pie for well over thirty-five years while earning many compliments.

When my Youngest Son married, Carol and I became co-mother in laws. She used strawberry gelatin in her pies. Sacrilegious! Gelatin has artificial flavoring. Yuk! There was only one problem, hers tasted better than mine. So…..new recipe for the glaze.

Then when I started cooking spaghetti sauce for the big Boy Scout fund raising events, I began hearing about the retired Scout leader’s wife fantastic strawberry pies. The best anyone had ever had. Shy me found her and asked her how she made her pies. I am always brave when I am on the hunt for a recipe. She said she couldn’t tell me anything as I was a “professional” and she was just a housewife. I assured her, and assured her that I was always willing to learn and I had heard sooo much about her pies. Finally she told me she used Jell-o. I kept talking to her until she looked at me and said, “I think people like mine because I slice the strawberries.” Bingo!

The perfect pie has cream cheese on top of the baked crust under the berries. The glaze is made with strawberry gelatin. The berries are sliced and coated with the glaze before the fruit is put into the cream cheese topped pie shell.

SIMPLY THE BEST STRAWBERRY PIE

1 9-inch pastry pie crust, baked
1 (3oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 c washed, fresh, whole strawberries with stem removed
¾ to 1 c white sugar
1 c water
3 T cornstarch
3 T strawberry jello
Whipped cream for garnish, if desired

Ingredients.

Bake pie crust and cool. Spread cream cheese on the bottom of the crust and set aside. For the glaze: Combine sugar and cornstarch; put water in saucepan. Stir sugar mixture into water. Cook until boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook until clear and thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add strawberry jello. Stir into thicken mixture until dissolved. Cool. Gently mix in fresh fruit. Place glazed fruit over the cream cheese in the pie crust. Chill before serving.