Fresh Strawberry Pie

One of the best jobs I ever had was working as a waitress at a local sandwich shop in my hometown when I was a teenager. The owner (my boss) was a kind, quiet woman who came into work at dawn to begin baking breads and rolls for the sandwiches. Later in the morning, she would step out to Super H to purchase fresh vegetables and fruits for the lunch specials. She made famously fresh brownies and pies daily from scratch. It was a privilege to learn about the craft of cooking and how to run a business from her. As a bonus, I got to take some of her best loved cooking secrets home with me after clocking out.

One of her most beloved recipes was Oscar’s Strawberry Pie. Surprisingly simple, it has become a favorite at family gatherings – especially in the summer when strawberries are in season.

I won’t share the exact recipe out of respect for my old boss, but here’s my own take on this delicious treat:

Ingredients:

• 2 cup fresh strawberries, cleaned and diced
• 1 9″ pie shell, prepared
• 4 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup cold water
• 4 tbsp strawberry gelatin
• Whipped cream (I like to make my own, but cool whip works great!)

Directions:

Place strawberries in pie shell. Combine corn starch, sugar, salt and water in sauce pan. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add gelatin. Pour into pie shell filled with strawberries. Chill and top with whipped cream. Enjoy 🙂