Strawberry Satisfaction

The strawberries have been coming in for the last two weeks, and the market is brimming over with big baskets full. Two flats have made their way home with me in the last two weeks, one to share with my neighbor, and the other just for us! We have eaten bowls of them for dessert, had berries, lovely spanish cheeses and thick bread slices for breakfast, but best of all, we've enjoyed two luscious pies.
The first was a rhubarb strawberry pie, and the second a mixed berry pie, with strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries for tartness. The recipe is the same, no matter what berry mixture you use- so improvise with your mixture. This recipe makes a classic berry pie, not too sweet, one that you can never get anywhere but home.

Berry Pie


Make a double recipe of your favorite pie crust, and put half in a plastic bag in the freezer. You'll be glad to have an extra for another pie next week. I have to confess that I used to use the roll out ready made crusts, but I've since learned how easy pie crust is, and make them all myself these days.

So, bottom crust rolled out and waiting in a deep dish pie plate- set aside the leftover dough for the top crust.

Put 4 to 5 cups of berries and rhubarb, or berries and berries in a large bowl.
Beat 3 eggs, and mix into berries.
Combine 1 1/4 cups raw sugar or rapidura, 1/4 cup all purpose flour, and some freshly grated nutmeg (to taste), then add to the berry mixture. Stir and pour into crust. Top with some bits of butter dotted over the fruit.
Roll out a top crust and fit over. Crimp the edges, and cut some vents. I like to use a little heart shaped cutter to make the vents pretty. Just put the cutout hearts on the crust.
Brush the crust with a little cream, and sprinkle with a little sugar.
Bake at 350 for an hour. Soooo good with vanilla ice cream or just some plain yogurt alongside.

This recipe is an adaptation of one I found in the Country Inn B&B cookbook. Always good.