Summer Strawberry Pie

Strawberries taste like summer.  It's hot out.  Eat some.

Add a creamy filling of white chocolate and crispy, flaky crust.  Because you roll like that.

Take a big slice outside with a side of cool breeze and a tall iced coffee.

Admittedly, pie crust from scratch is not an effortless summer dessert.  But if you use refrigerated pie crust, then this becomes easy peasy.  Bake crust, fill crust, and eat.

On the other hand, if you have the urge to do some more time-consuming baking, then I cannot recommend this crust highly enough-- it is from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Pie Bible.  That woman knows.  She just... knows.  (That recipe is detailed in this post-- it deserves its own spotlight!)

You can eat bacalhau tomorrow.  Today, try this.

Summer Strawberry Pie
adapted from Beranbaum, Open Faced Strawberry Pie
serves 8-10

*note: The only changes I made to the master recipe were to double each of the fillings, and put the crust in a tart pan rather than a pie pan.  I know my own love for yummy fillings enough to know I wanted MORE.  If you prefer to highlight the fresh strawberries, you healthy person, you-- simply cut the filling amounts below in half.

Pie Crust for 10-inch tart pan
1/2 large egg white, lightly beaten
5 cups strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and dried
Strawberry Filling:
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
4 tbsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon juice
Cream Cheese Filling:
6 oz. white chocolate, in pieces
8 oz. package of cream cheese
2 tbsp sour cream

1. Bake the crust according to recipe or package directions, and remove from oven. Once it has cooled for about 3 minutes, brush the inside and sides with the egg white, to protect the crust from getting soggy from the filling.

2. Place 2 cups of strawberries in a medium saucepan and crush lightly with a fork.  Add the rest of the strawberry filling ingredients and stir together until the dry ingredients are dissolved.  Heat to boiling and simmer for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Pour the mixture into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on top.

3.  Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave, stirring it every 10 seconds.  Do not heat until it is all melted-- heat until it is a little bit melted and stir to melt in the rest.  Let cool while you beat the cream cheese until smooth and light.  Add the cooled chocolate and sour cream and beat together until well blended.

4. Once the pie crust is cooled, spread the cream cheese layer on the bottom.  Top with the cooled, cooked strawberry filling.  Lastly, top with the remaining fresh strawberries.

5. Cool the pie for at least one hour before serving.  It will keep for up to two days refrigerated, uncovered.