Pam's Strawberry Pie
I've long known that I wanted to write a book about what I know about barbecue. I've also known that when it comes to the section about killer desserts, I'd exit stage left and let the women in my life - especially my mom, Pam - take over. And that's exactly what I did in Life of Fire (Clarkson Potter, 2022). Enjoy this favorite family recipe (page 288 - 289) that my mom's been baking for my dad since back when they were dating at Mississippi State.
- Pat
The first time I ever had this pie was when Danny (my husband) and I were dating, and I went to his house for supper for the first time. Mrs. Martin made this recipe because she loved the strawberry pie at Shoney’s so much, but the closest location was over in Memphis, some sixty-five miles away. The combination of two whole pints of fresh strawberries held together in a cold Jell-O mixture is almost like eating a frozen dessert, and so refreshing on a hot summer night. She gave me the recipe and I’d make it for Danny back at Mississippi State when we would go out on dates—I’d eat one piece and Danny would eat the rest of the pie!
— Pam Martin
Ingredients:
8 to 10 servings
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons strawberry-flavored gelatin powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
2 pints strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Pie Crust (page 291), fully baked
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, gelatin powder, and cornstarch and whisk until mixed. Add the water and stir to combine. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until the liquid is mostly clear and has slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes (do not overcook). Remove from the heat. Set aside the gelatin mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent a film from forming on the top. Add the strawberries and stir to combine. Transfer to the baked pie crust and refrigerate until set, about 6 hours. To serve, cut the pie into slices and top each with a large dollop of whipped cream.
