FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE WITH BALSAMIC AND BASIL

Fresh Strawberry Pie with Balsamic and Basil      makes one 9” pie
(filling from Emily and Melissa Elsen of Four and Twenty Blackbirds)

(note: I added fresh basil to the Elsen's recipe after enjoying strawberry basil gelato. If you are timid of teaming herbs with sweets, you can omit it, but the two flavors truly complement each other)

Whole Wheat Pie Pastry                  makes enough for one lattice topped 9” pie

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted cold butter, cut into pieces
3 oz. non-hydrogenated shortening, frozen and cut into pieces
6-9 tablespoons ice cold water
2 teaspoons strawberry shrub (available from the Hudson Standard) or apple cider vinegar

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, brown sugar and salt. With a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Then cut in the shortening, being careful not to over mix. In a small pyrex measuring cup, combine 6 tablespoons of the ice cold water with the strawberry shrub (or apple cider vinegar.) Gradually add the liquid to the mixture, tossing it lightly with your fingertips, pulling the mixture together. If it feels dry, add up to an additional 3 tablespoons of ice cold water. Divide the dough in half, shape into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling out. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out one disc of dough into a circle about 12” round and about ⅛” thick. Gently place the dough into the pie plate without stretching it. Tuck the edges under, flute them and refrigerate while you prepare the filling. Remove the second disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured sheet of a parchment. Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough into 1” strips, cover with plastic wrap and set on a baking sheet. Refrigerate.

Filling-

3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 pounds fresh strawberries, (preferably local) lightly rinsed, stemmed and quartered (you should have between 5 and 6 cups of berries)

In a medium mixing bowl, toss the strawberries with 3 tablespoons of sugar and let macerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Prepare remaining ingredients:

1 small apple, peeled, cored and shredded, tossed with 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons tapioca flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh basil, finely minced 

egg wash made from 1 egg yolk whisked together with 2 teaspoons milk or cream
additional sugar for sprinkling over the lattice
reserved syrup from macerating the berries

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, tapioca flour, salt, lemon zest and basil. Scrape the macerated strawberries into a strainer set over a mixing bowl and drain, reserving the strawberry/sugar syrup. Transfer the drained strawberries into a large mixing bowl. Using a rubber scraper, fold the sugars/flour/salt/zest/basil into the strawberries, turning gently to coat. Add the balsamic vinegar and shredded apple to the strawberries and pour the mixture into the chilled pie shell. Top with strips of dough to create a lattice, seal and crimp the edges.  Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Set the pie on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and move the pie to the middle of the oven. Bake an additional 45-55 minutes, covering the edges with strips of aluminum foil if they are getting too brown. The juices should bubble thickly around the edges and in the middle. Cool on a rack for at least 3-4 hours. If you slice the pie before it has time to set up, the juices will run (all over your white tablecloth) but will still taste delicious. The reserved syrup from macerating the berries can be reduced over low heat until thickened. When cool, top each slice of pie with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of the strawberry syrup.

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