Fresh Strawberry Pie

This was the winner in the "just the berries, ma'am" pie category. Strawberries in an orange-scented cookie crust, held together with a fresh strawberry glaze.

Fresh Strawberry Pie
Adapted from Cooking Light, April 2000

Crust:
50 Nilla wafers
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest

Filling:
2 cups ripe strawberries
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6 cups small ripe strawberries (if you have varying sizes, dice the larger ones and put them in the bottom of the crust, saving the small berries for the top layer)
Whipped cream or ice cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare crust, place wafers in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Add butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, and orange rind, and pulse 10 times or just until wafers are moist. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes; cool.

Mash 2 cups strawberries with a potato masher. Combine mashed strawberries and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Press the strawberry mixture through a sieve into a bowl, and reserve 1 cup strawberry liquid (add enough water to measure 1 cup, if necessary). Discard strawberry pulp.

Place 2/3 cup sugar in a pan. Place cornstarch in a small bowl; whisk in a tablespoon or so of the strawberry liquid until cornstarch is dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture and remaining strawberry liquid to the pan, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.

Arrange a layer of strawberries, stem sides down, in the crust. Spoon about one-third of sauce over the strawberries. Arrange the remaining strawberries on top, and spoon the remaining sauce over the strawberries. Chill for 4 or more hours before serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Best eaten within a day or so of making.