Kaye and Geoff's Recipes - Tarts & Sweet Pies

Strawberry Super Pie

PASTRY

1.5 cups plain flour		1 tbs icing sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter		3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 190°C.

Melt butter, and mix with flour, icing sugar and pecans. Press into buttered 25 centimetre pie plate.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until light brown. Allow to cool completely.

FILLING

1.25 cups whipping cream		110 gm cream cheese, softened slightly
1/2 cup icing sugar			3/4 tsp vanilla

Whip the cream until stiff. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese with vanilla and icing sugar. Carefully fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spread into the cooled crust, and refigerate.

TOPPING

900 gm strawberries		1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar			3/4 tblspn cornflour

Mash up enough straberries to make 1 cup of pulp. Put mashed berries and water into a saucepan, mix in the sugar and cornflour, and bring to a boil, stirring. Cook for a minute or two, until thick and clear. Set aside to cool.

Assembly

Stand whole (or halved) remaining strawberries on top of the cream filling, cut side down. When the entire pie is covered with berries, carefully spoon cooled topping over all; the cream filling should not be seen between the berries. Once the crevices have been filled, do not overload the pie with topping, as it will just drip down the sides. Chill.