STRAWBERRY PIE

Crust:  

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting counter

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp sugar

2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces

approximately 4 tbsp ice cold water, plus more as needed

Filling: 

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 (3 oz) package strawberry gelatin

3 tbsp cornstarch

2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

To make the crusts:  Combine flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to blend. You can also mix the dough by hand. Add the butter to the processor and pulse several times until it resembles coarse crumbs. Alternately, cut in the butter using a pastry blender. Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together and forms a ball.  You may need to add up to 4 additional tablespoons to get your dough to hold together, but be careful not to add too much.  Divide the dough into two equal pieces, flatten into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for about an hour.  

Remove the dough from the refrigerator five minutes before attempting to roll it out.  Roll the dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick.  Gently roll the dough up on a rolling pin, transfer to a pie plate, and unroll.  Trim the edges, leaving enough dough to just hang over the edge of the pie plate.  Tuck the edges under and crimp the edges using your thumb and forefinger or a fork.  Repeat with the other crust and pie plate.  Place the crusts back in the refrigerator to chill another 30 minutes before baking to keep them from shrinking in the oven. 

To pre-bake the crusts, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the crusts with foil filled with pie weights or dried beans.  Bake the lined crusts for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven, remove the weights and foil, and continue baking 10-15 more minutes until golden brown.  Cool completely before filling.

To make the filling:  Combine the water, sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin in a saucepan on medium high heat.  Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil.  Continue to whisk until the mixture is thickened and forms a thin coat on the back of a spoon.  When the filling it ready, you should be able to draw a line down the back of the coated spoon with your finger and the line will remain clean.  Cool the mixture until it is just warm.  

Place the strawberries in each of your two pie crusts, pointed end up, by starting in the middle and working your way out in circles.  Pour half the gelatin mixture over the strawberries in each pie and chill for at least two hours until the filling is set.  Serve alone or with whipped cream.