Strawberry Crumble Pie

Serves: 8 / Preparation time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (plus cooling time)

6 cups fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, halved if large
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup minute tapioca
1¹⁄₃ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons water
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix the strawberries with the sugar and tapioca. Let the filling stand while you make the pastry.

In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until the texture is uniform, but coarse.

Reserve about ½ cupful of the mixture; set that aside.

Sprinkle the water over the remaining mixture in the bowl; toss with a fork and press it into a ball.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to fit a 9-inch piepan. Fit the pastry into the pan. Fill with the strawberry mixture.

Cut an 8-inch round piece of foil; lay it over the filling.

Bake the pie for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend the reserved ½ cupful of flour mixture with brown sugar and cinnamon.

After the pie has baked for 35 minutes, remove the foil; sprinkle the flour-cinnamon mixture over the pie.

Continue baking 30 to 40 minutes more or until the crust and crumb topping are browned.

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely before serving so the filling sets.

Cook’s note: If the pie bubbles over during baking, place a sheet of foil beneath it.

From Linda Girard of Rowe’s Produce Farm.

Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

303 calories (37% from fat), 13 grams fat (3 grams sat. fat), 47 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 164 mg sodium, 0 mgcholesterol, 3 grams fiber.