Few things scream summer quite like the sweet, juicy bite of a perfectly ripe organic strawberry. If you want the freshest, most flavorful berries, the Zephyr Cove Saturday Morning Farmers Market is the place to be. Rodriguez Brothers Ranch strawberries are picked at their peak ripeness, meaning they are fresher and more flavorful than any other strawberry you can find in the Tahoe Basin. While best enjoyed fresh at the Farmers Market, these strawberries will most certainly inspire you to use them in your favorite recipes. No matter how you enjoy them, your Farmers Market finds will beat anything you’ll get from the grocery store.
A lovely way to enjoy your strawberry find is this Fresh Strawberry Pie. A classic buttery crust gets loaded with juicy, fresh strawberries coated in a strawberry glaze made from scratch and then topped with plenty of sweetened whipped cream. It’s so good!
For the Pie Crust:
1¼ cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
3-4 Tbsp. ice water
For the Filling:
8 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
¾ cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
½ cup water
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor, cut the shortening and butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. It is only about 10 pulses with a food processor but a bit more work by hand. One trick to make the process a little easier is to freeze your butter beforehand, then grate it into the flour mixture before cutting it in with the pastry cutter if not using a food processor. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water over the mixture. Using a fork, gently stir the water into the flour mixture, then repeat with the remaining water, adding only 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough starts to come together.
Turn the pie dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling out. Roll out the pie dough with a rolling pin on a floured surface and carefully transfer it into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim any excess dough and fold under the edges. Use your fingers or a fork or other tool to decoratively crimp the edges. Chill for 15-20 minutes in the freezer. This helps set the crust and prevents it from shrinking as much. Preheat oven to 375°F while the crust is chilling. Line the pie shell with a double layer of aluminum foil, covering the edges to prevent burning. Fill the shell with pie weights and bake for 15-17 minutes. Carefully remove the pie weights and the foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool before filling.
Wash and hull the strawberries by removing the green leaves at the top with a small paring knife. Puree 1 cup of the strawberries in a food processor or by mashing thoroughly with a fork. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then add the water and strawberry puree. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 more minutes, until the strawberry mixture turns thick and translucent. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, cut any larger strawberries in halves or even fourths and place in a large bowl. Add the glaze and gently fold with a spatula until the berries are evenly coated. Fill the cooled pie crust with the strawberry pie filling, piling them into a mound and turning any cut sides to face down. If you want a “prettier” pie, you can arrange the strawberries in the pie shell first, then spoon the glaze over the top. Chill for 2 hours until set.
Prepare the whipped cream by beating the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, forming soft peaks. Serve the pie with the fresh whipped cream within 5 hours of chilling for the best results.
–Jill Rozier Lake Tahoe Markets www.LakeTahoeMarkets.com