Fresh Strawberry Pie Filling
Strawberry pie filling is a quick and straightforward recipe to use and preserve an abundance of freshly picked strawberries. Pies, cakes, panna cotta, a topping for ice cream, or just simply as a spread on toast.
When making homemade pie filling it is easy to control ingredients and the desired sweetness. Store bought, canned pie filling often is too sweet with lots of jelly and little berries.
Texture of strawberry pie filling
Strawberry pie filling is cooked on the stove and thickened with the use of starch. Corn starch or tapioca are perfect choices for this recipe as they will cook clear without leaving additional flavour or taste. Corn starch is likely available in your pantry, which makes it an obvious choice.
When and how to wash strawberries?
Strawberries might hold dirt and small insects and should only be washed just before cooking or eating. Washing strawberries in advance will add moisture and make them spoil much faster.
Remove the pedicels after washing so avoid water going inside the fruit.
Related: Easy strawberry coulis
Fresh Strawberry Pie Filling
EQUIPMENT (click pictures for details)
Ingredients
- 350 gr fresh strawberries
- 50 gr caster sugar
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ tbsp corn starch
- 1 pinch salt
- 240 ml water (120 +120)
Instructions
Wash the strawberries
- Gently wash the strawberries in water with a dash of vinegar.
- Drain the fruit and pat dry on a kitchen towel.
- Remove the pedicels and cut into quarters.
Cook the pie filling
- Combine the quartered strawberries, sugar, salt, lemon juice and 120 ml (half cup) of water in a pan.
- Place the pan over a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes until the strawberries soften.
- Combine the remaining cold water with corn starch in a small bowl.Gently stir the corn starch, a small quantity at the time, into the strawberry mix and bring to the boil to thicken the sauce.
- Adjust the sweetness and acidity if necessary. Transfer the sauce in a jar, seal and wait until cool.
