Noodle's Fresh Strawberry Pie

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 1/2 cups crushed shortbread cookies
• 1/4 cup finely chopped blanched almond (i've never bothered to blanch)
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries, approximately
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Recipe

• 1 for the crust: mix together all ingredients (i use the food processor), press on bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate, and bake at 350-degrees for 8 minutes, or until crust is golden: cool completely.
• 2 for the filling: mash enough strawberries to equal 1 cup.
• 3 slice remaining strawberries, place in bowl, and sprinkle with sugar.
• 4 combine sugar, cornstarch, water and mashed strawberries in a heavy bottomed pot.
• 5 cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and boils.
• 6 boil 1 minute.
• 7 remove from heat and add salt and almond extract.
• 8 cool 10 minutes.
• 9 fill cooled crust with remaining, sliced strawberries.
• 10 pour cooked mixture over strawberries.
• 11 refrigerate at least 3 hours, or until set.
• 12 serve with whipped cream, if desired.
• 13 note: this is also good with peaches or blueberries- and i have subbed chocolate wafers for the shortbread cookies.
• 14 sometimes, if i'm feeling citrusy, i omit the almond extract and add some grated orange or lemon zest.