Strawberry Season

Fresh Strawberry and Raspberry Pie
Crust:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup white flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract
*1/4 cup water (or as much as needed)
Filling:
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 cup white grape juice or white grape and cherry juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup instant clear gel
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Crust: Mix fours, sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Stir oil and extract into flour just until incorporated. Add water and stir until a dough ball forms. On a floured surface, roll out dough into an 11 inch circle. Fold in half and place in a 10 inch pie plate. Prick bottom and sides with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Filling: Wash and hull strawberries, then cut in half and slice. Wash raspberries. Set berries aside. Pour juice into a quart mixing bowl. Add 1/2 pint strawberries and 1/2 pint raspberries. With a blender stick, puree berries and juices. In a separate bowl mix sugar and instant clear gel. Stirring constantly, sprinkle sugar mixture into puree. Pour over berries and mix gently. Spoon filling into cooled crust and refrigerate for 2 or more hours. Serve with almond flavored whipped cream.

Hints: The best result will be with perfectly ripe berries-not too hard and not too soft. Instant clear gel is a modified corn starch product. It thickens without heat and so is great for a very fresh flavor. I buy it at Bountiful Nutrition, which is a health shop that sells supplements. You can order it on line as well. It will clump easily in liquids so be sure to blend it with other dry ingredients prior to mixing with wet ingredients. It thickens with in 5 minutes and can be heated or used cold.

Fresh berries make my day! They are my favorite food. Most people appreciate the work you go to to make a home made pie. This particular one is very easy and quick. I hope you make someone's day with this pie. It may be your own!