Strawberry Basil Balsamic Pie
This pie is summer in a slice: juicy sweet strawberries, a pop of fresh basil, and just enough balsamic to deepen the berries’ flavor without tasting like salad dressing. The lattice crust feels old-school, but the basil and balsamic give it that little “oh-hey-you’re-fancy” twist.
I use a touch of cornstarch and a bit of grated apple (pectin magic) to keep the filling from running so every wedge holds together on the plate.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish
- Large mixing bowls
- Microplane/zester
- Pastry blender or two forks
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife or pastry wheel for lattice
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust (double crust)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (310g)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup very cold unsalted butter, diced (2 sticks / 226g)
- 6-8 Tbsp ice-cold water
For the Filling
- 6 cups fresh strawberries about 2 lbs, hulled & halved (or quarter large ones)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar use up to 1 cup if berries are less sweet
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar good quality, not glaze
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil plus extra leaves for garnish
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 4 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ small tart apple like Granny Smith, peeled & finely grated (about 2 Tbsp; adds pectin for structure)
- Zest of ½ a lemon
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Finishing Adds
- 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water for egg wash; sub plant milk for vegan
- 1-2 tsp coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in cold butter with pastry blender or fingertips until mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.
- Drizzle in ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing with a fork until dough just holds when pinched (don’t over-mix).
- Divide in half, shape each into a disc, wrap in plastic or beeswax wrap. Chill at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
- In a large bowl, gently toss strawberries with sugar, balsamic, basil, salt, cornstarch, grated apple, lemon zest, and juice.
- Let stand 10–15 min; it’ll get glossy but not soupy — that’s perfect.
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
- Roll one dough disc to about a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie dish; leave about 1-inch overhang.
- Spoon strawberry mixture into crust evenly.
- Roll second dough disc to a 12-inch round. Cut into ¾- to 1-inch strips.
- Arrange strips in a lattice pattern over filling; trim, fold edges under bottom crust, and crimp.
- Brush lattice & edges with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 350°F / 175°C and bake 30–35 minutes more, until lattice is golden-brown and thick bubbles appear in center.
- If edges brown too fast, tent with foil.
- Cool on a rack at least 3 hours before slicing to let filling gel and hold its shape.
- Garnish slices with fresh basil leaves if desired.
- Great with vanilla ice cream or coconut whip.
Notes
Grated apple = sliceable pie: pectin from apple plus cornstarch keeps filling jammy, not runny.
Make-ahead: Dough discs can chill 2 days or freeze 2 months.
Vegan crust: swap in plant-based butter and plant milk for egg wash.
Flavor twist: drizzle a tiny bit of balsamic reduction over slices just before serving for a fancy look.