Fresh Strawberry Pie, Anyone?

Even though I have a huge blackberry bush growing in my yard, with loads of fruit ripening as I write, my heart belongs to strawberries. My favorite strawberries are the ones I pick myself, still warm from the sun, each one sweeter than the last.

So it’s no wonder that my favorite strawberry dessert is Fresh Strawberry Pie. I like this pie for it’s simplicity, because it’s basically a “raw” pie made with a no-bake crust, so the flavor is pure strawberry. While this pie needs no embellishment, it’s really good topped with vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped topping. If you want something a bit more decadent, you can also use a prebaked regular pie shell and add a layer of sweetened tofu cream cheese under the strawberries.

In a few weeks, when my blackberries are ripe and bursting with flavor, I’ll transform them into coulis and cobbler, all the while reminiscing about my beloved strawberries. Which berry has captured your heart?

Fresh Strawberry Pie
Use the sweetest ripest strawberries you can find. To experience the full flavor of the fresh berries, serve this pretty no-bake pie within four hours of preparing it. This recipe has been adapted from The Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups almonds or walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
5 cups sliced strawberries
6 pitted dates, soaked 10 minutes in warm water and drained
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. In a food processor, coarsely grind the almonds or walnuts. Add the 1/2 cup dates and the vanilla and process until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into a pie plate.
2. Arrange 4 cups of the sliced strawberries on top of the crust in a circular pattern and set aside. 3. In a food processor or blender combine the remaining 1 cup of strawberries with the 6 dates, agave, and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Pour the sauce mixture over strawberries and refrigerate the pie for 1 hour before serving.
Makes 6 servings